Residents at Vive go through long, difficult journeys to finally end up claiming asylum in Buffalo. When they arrive they need to learn a new language, how to make it around a new city, take care of their physical and mental health, enroll kids in school, and lots of other complicated things. It's hard enough learning these things on your own when you a move to a new place. Imagine doing it in a new country while you are still learning the language!
Duties:
Accompaniment Volunteers will meet residents at the shelter and walk or ride the bus with them as they make their way to locations across Buffalo and then back to Vive. On Wednesdays we have a weekly Vive clinic that many residents attend. It is very busy and we cannot give everyone the individual attention they may need so Accompaniment Volunteers could stay with people as they wait. You can be that calming steady person that stands with them as they figure out we are truly the City of Good Neighbors!
Who you'll work with:
Volunteers work with Social Work and Family Program staff along with residents staying at Vive.
People with the following skills/experience would be great here:
No need for previous experience in social work or the medical field. Interest in sharing cultures with people different from you. Conversational fluency in a language other than English is great but not required at all.
