top of page
Our Second Home

Our Second Home

We are a youth movement that empowers migrants and refugees to flourish in the place that they call home. There are thousands of young refugees and migrants arriving in this country every year. Through transformative activities, our members are enabled to create community and build leaders. We believe in the unbounded potential of these individuals and are driven to help them thrive. 
 
Our residential experiences are at the start of this journey, allowing us to create a space where we can teach leadership skills and spark ideas. With the right support, our ambition is to ensure that young refugees and migrants have the agency to take control of their own lives. You can learn more about OSH on our website, or on this video. Check out our impact here.
 
The residentials are three or four-night activity camps for refugees & migrants aged 14-18. They are a chance for young people to come together for fun and excitement, supported by a dynamic and dedicated team of leaders and staff.

  • Where is it?

    UK residential outdoor centers. Mostly within 2 hours travel of London or Bristol

  • What will I be doing?

    OSH Volunteers (we call them Leaders) will be responsible for facilitating the camp, and will be directly in contact with, and responsible for, the participants. During the camp they will be ‘on duty’ full-time, meaning that they will spend the whole time with the participants, including at meals. Leaders must set a positive example of behaviour and involvement for all participants, and adhere to the volunteer guidelines.

     

    You are responsible for:

    • Interacting and forming a bond with the participants

    • Creating and running fun and engaging activities for the participants

    • Looking after the participants’ welfare, and ensuring that they feel cared for and secure

    • Managing the participants’ behaviour and setting clear boundaries

     

    Leaders must raise any safeguarding concerns swiftly and follow safeguarding procedures

     

    Leaders must follow all Our Second Home policies and procedures of (which will be explained and shared in written format at the Camp training days).

  • What impact would I have?

    Being an OSH leader gives you:

     

    • the chance to work in a diverse and exciting team

    • hands on volunteering experience

    • the opportunity to make a lasting difference

    • a lovely white leader t-shirt


    Learn more about our impact here, or hear it straight from young people in this video.

  • Who will I be working with?

    14-18 year old refugees and asylum seekers

     

    About half of the of Leaders have lived experience of displacement/seeking asylum

     

    There is a dedicated core staff team of 3 or 4 on each residential who lead on Safeguarding and welfare for the group. Leaders will be supported by one of the Volunteer Welfare Leads, who will be their main contact in the build to and throughout the residential. You will work closely with the Welfare Officer during the residential. You will take part in meetings at the beginning and end of each day.

  • Minimum age

    20

  • Extra Cost

    All reasonable costs, including travel, are paid for. Food is provided for the whole residential

  • Skills needed

    To be an OSH Leader, you:

    • will have experience working with and/or caring for young people aged 14-18

    • are flexible, adaptable and have an ability to improvise

    • show an ability to build connections quickly with peers and young people

    • show an ability to work in a team and communicate effectively

    • are highly organised

    • show high levels of empathy and patience

    • have an awareness and sensitivity that some participants might be suffering from trauma

    • should be aged 20 or above and must be eligible for DBS clearance (no criminal record that prevents applicants from working with children)

    • must be interviewed and be willing to provide references on request.

     

    Additional desired skills:

    • Experience working with refugees and/or asylum seekers

    • Experience working with young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities

    • Language skills: Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Tigrinya, Somali

    • First Aid training

    • Creative or artistic abilities in music, theatre, dance, art

    • Sports leadership

    • Ability to prepare fun and engaging activities for young people

  • Minimum time requirement

    Most residentials are 5 or 6 days long in total, although there are a couple weekend residentials for specific groups

  • Interested in Volunteering?

    Apply here

bottom of page