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The main aim of our project is to foster mutual support networks through purposeful new volunteering opportunities for Latin American women - especially refugee and migrant women wishing to contribute to the community. Our project works at increasing the chances for Latin American women of getting work in the UK job market, make new friends or give something back to their community through volunteering at LAWRS. We aim to develop their work skills, especially if you're finding it difficult to get their skills and work experience recognised.
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Our volunteer project has been formally running for four years and is now a well-established, structured volunteering programme. The project currently runs with approximately 50 volunteers, supporting nine staff members. LAWRS, through their various projects, helps around 3,000 women each year; and the number grows annually. Our volunteers are an integral part of these projects, allowing us to reach a greater number of Latin American women in need. Thanks to our Good Practice and hard work in 2007 we achieved Investing in Volunteers with a commendation from the assessor. We have also been recognised & funded by the GoldStar Exemplar Programme. Since 2006 we have been supporting other Latin American organisations to build their volunteer capacity & management through mentoring and information. Our volunteers come from every corner of Latin America and bring to the organisation a great array of experience. Many of our volunteers are multilingual and skilled professionals, however find difficulty in achieving this recognition in the UK. Our volunteers not only offer LAWRS a great service, they also receive great benefits in return. Since the start of the project 56% of our volunteers have moved on to better and more stable employment. They are constantly gaining skills from new training and activities, which we continually try to improve through specialised support and training. Further future aims for the project include enhancing our reach by building on and increasing the skills of volunteers; targeting more employee / professional volunteers; and diversifying our volunteer profile, reaching those who find it most difficult to volunteer by offering more flexible opportunities. The project will seek to optimise the current volunteer programme, through maximising resources and potential, reaching out to those most in need and recruitment of volunteers from different sectors. Currently, our volunteers benefit from: -work experience -training -individual support -opportunities to make new contacts -job-seeking support -language support -references Volunteers can participate in the following areas: -Interpreters -Translators -Counsellors and Psychotherapists -Befrienders -Project Assistants -Advice Assistants -Fundraising -Events and Marketing