The VOICE project co-ordinators are Rachael Bee and Joy Kenyah

The VOICE Team support members to work as volunteers in the Welcome Centre, to look for and succeed in volunteer placements in the wider community, and to take a full part in community events.

Hassan from Somalia is a regular volunteer at the welcome centre. He said:

“After experiencing humiliation and great difficulty in my own country, Volunteering at BRR is like a resurrection. I am able to feel alive again, that I am able to contribute once more and feel like I exist. Volunteering allows me to hold my head up high in Bristol.”

BRR Members: Volunteer in the Welcome Centre
We love volunteers!
Are you interested in volunteering?
Contact Joy at the welcome centre to talk about it!

BRR Members: Volunteer in other places in Bristol
The VOICE Project has set up community volunteering opportunities with and for our members in organisations across Bristol. Members are supported by VOICE Buddies who support them at the start of their volunteering to help it all work out well! We already have volunteers at:

Bristol Bike Project       British Red Cross      Carers Centre      Local Hospitals     St Monica Trust

Walled Garden Project      Feed Bristol (Avon Wildlife Trust)     St Marks Cafe      Tribe of Doris

Ujima Radio

Talk to Rachael to find out more!

Are you a member of BRR?

Nassour

A new member, Nassour, joined the team early in 2012. He has done an excellent job looking after the free shop, and even made out-of-hours visits to Temple Meads Station lost property to source more clothes. Nassour has also completed training in stewarding, arranged by Joy, and will get an NVQ 2 in a few weeks as a result.
“By volunteering I have discovered that the Welcome Centre is like a big family. I would like to improve my language, even college is not enough, I need to integrate with the people. I’m so happy I have more friends now.”
For Nassour and others like him, the VOICE project has created opportunities to improve spoken English and integrate better in the UK.

Amadou

Amadou is a well-known member at BRR (the first one ever in fact!) and since getting settled in Bristol has been volunteering at Frenchay Hospital. This has led to applications and interviews for jobs in local hospitals. He has also been studying a BTEC in Care Work arranged through the VOICE project.
Amadou said “The Welcome Centre is my home and the place I have felt happy in Bristol. I have enjoyed volunteering at Frenchay where I meet people. It was good to get a voluntary job so now I can get a paid job.”

Community Work

One of our members, Khethiwe, was keen to help out in her local neighbourhood and organised a litter pick with other BRR members through the VOICE program. We all had a really fun morning chatting and clearing the Bristol-Bath cycle path of some pretty huge bags of rubbish!

For more information and updates about VOICE check out our blog