Become a language assistant for Restoring Family Links!
What the Red Cross does
The Restoring Family Links (RFL) service of the Belgian Red Cross is part of a global network of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies that works together to restore and maintain contact between families who were separated from each other through migration, armed conflict or natural disaster.
In these situations, communications often break down and families become separated. As a result, people do not know how they can find a missing relative or how to communicate with them.
The Belgian Red Cross launches tracing activities to try and restore contact between loved ones.
Besides this, it also organizes information sessions and support concerning family reunification.
What you can do
As a Language Assistant volunteer, you will serve as an interpreter during individual interviews and group sessions, both on the topics of tracing and family reunification. Your knowledge of Tigrinya, Dari, Pashtu, Kurmanji, Malinke… combined with English, French or Dutch will help families to be reunited!
Typical tasks
- Facilitating communication between the volunteer Case Worker and clients by providing interpretation and/or translation services, either by telephone or in person.
- Helping clients to complete documents in their own language if required.
- Your translation work is complete, accurate and neutral.
- You will work as part of a team with the volunteer Case Workers and Red Cross staff members.
What we offer
- Training and support provided by the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders.
- You are insured during every activity you undertake for the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders.
- The opportunity to expand your knowledge on current affairs as well as improving your language skills, whilst helping and working with people.
- Every family link that Red Cross re-establishes has been realized with your help!
Something for you?
We specifically are looking for following profile:
- For this service volunteers must be 18 years or older.
- Willing to commit as a volunteer in this role for the longer term i.e. at least 6 months (available once or twice a month)
- You are able to volunteer in Mechelen Headquarters and/or in one of our future external offices in the region.
- You speak Dari, Pashtu, Tigrinya, a Kurdish language or Somali and can translate into and from English, French or Dutch.
- Ability to demonstrate strong communication, listening and language skills.
- Able to support people in distress and to use emotional support skills in a calm and responsible manner.
- Able to respect confidentiality of service users.