Welcome Mentors Service – support for migrants

Welcome Mentors

Kirklees is rich in diversity when it comes to our communities, with people from many different countries making their homes in local places and enriching our community life.

It isn’t always easy for migrants coming to live in a new place. One of the ways migrants can now be supported is through the Welcome Mentors programme, provided by Third Sector Leaders Kirklees.

The Welcome Mentors programme offers a volunteer support and befriending service to help reduce some of the barriers and alleviate the feeling of isolation some migrants may feel.

The Mentors are there to help refugees, asylum seekers and migrants settle in Kirklees and help them navigate through what can be a complicated process for starting again in a new environment.

You can find out in detail just what the Mentors can help with on the Kirklees Welcomes blog:

What is the Welcome Mentors project?

In this short video Steffi Rogers, the Welcome Mentors Co-ordinator at Third Sector Leaders Kirklees, explains more about the role of the mentors:

What is a Welcome Mentor? (video)

For things like the Welcome Mentors project to work, willing volunteers are needed and it’s always nice to hear first hand the stories of those directly involved. These stories from Volunteering Kirklees say more about the practical help that Mentors provide to migrants, along with what the volunteers get out the experience as individuals. It’s heart-warming stuff.

Read Itziar’s story

Read Antida’s story

Introduction to Zoom – 45 minute training

Volunteering Kirklees

Zoom (whom many of us had probably never heard of a few months ago) is an online platform for meetings, chats and conferencing , enabling us to keep connected at this time.

If you’re part of a community group or organisation in Kirklees and want to learn more about using Zoom, you can join in one of these 45 minute interactive sessions delivered by James Bulley (Calder IT), who is donating his time to run these sessions for Volunteering Kirklees.

Due to the interactive nature of these sessions, places are limited to a maximum of 10 attendees, but there are regular sessions to choose from. If you book on and then find yourself unable to attend, then please do cancel your place to allow another group in Kirklees to take part.

Introduction to Zoom training – book your place

 

Doorstep scammers video

Unfortunately some individuals may take advantage of the vulnerable in our communities during this time. Please share this video to remind everyone about what we can do to protect our communities.

Doorstep scammers aren’t always pushy and persuasive, they may seem polite or friendly.

You should always check someone’s credentials – a genuine person won’t mind.

If you have vulnerable neighbours please remind them not to hand out money or financial details over the phone or on their doorstep.

Report any suspicious behaviour to West Yorkshire Police using 101 for non-emergencies and 999 in case of an emergency.

Coronavirus scams news alert, April 2020 (PDF)