Volunteer with the Coalition
The Refugee Resettlement Coalition of Lane County is a community effort to support refugees and asylum seekers who are resettling in our area. The Coalition is primarily made up of volunteers. We could not do our work to welcome and support refugees and asylum seekers without the many people who have shared their time and knowledge. Thank you for considering joining this important community effort.
Highlighting some of our volunteer needs:
English Tutors: English tutors typically work one-on-one with refugees or refugee families to develop their English abilities, meeting once or twice a week. Scheduling is based on the availability of the tutor and the refugee(s). Experience working with newcomers and teaching or tutoring English as a second language is very helpful. Tutors may work with refugees before, during, and after their enrollment in LCC ESL classes. Fill out our volunteer application. Or if you’d like more information, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Zoë Livelybrooks at zlivelybrooks@ccslc.org or 541-953-0860.
Language Interpreters: The Language Resources Team seeks interpreters for these languages: Dari, Pashto, and Haitian Creole. If you speak one of these languages and English at an advanced level, please fill out our volunteer application form.
- If you speak Farsi, please fill out an application form, and we’ll talk with you. Sometimes Farsi speakers can translate for Dari speakers.
- If you speak other languages, please mention this in your application; however, we can’t guarantee we will be able to use your services right away.
Ongoing volunteer needs:
- Join the Fundraising Team. The fundraising team works to raise funds to support the project through donations, events and grants.
- Be an English language Tutor. Volunteers are needed to tutor English. Experience working with newcomers and teaching or tutoring English as a second language is very helpful.
- Be an Interpreter (Oral). Foreign language speakers are needed to interpret for refugees and asylum seekers in both formal and informal settings. Interpreters are placed on a list and called upon when needed. Currently, we are seeking speakers of Dari, Pashto, Russian, Ukrainian, Haitian-Creole, French, and Mam. All other languages are welcome to be on the list as needs can change unexpectedly.
- Be a Translator (Written). Volunteers are occasionally needed to translate English-language documents into the native language of a refugee or asylum seeker or vice-versa.
- Be an Advocate. Provide support to a refugee or asylum seeker. Being an advocate requires training (which the Coalition will provide) and a 12-month commitment. For more information about being an advocate, see the job description.
- Moving Furniture. Volunteers needed to move furniture. We especially need people with their own trucks. If you can help, please fill out our Contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
- Housing is one of our biggest challenges. Would you be willing to rent to a refugee or asylum seeker on an ongoing basis, or do you have a lead on an affordable rental? If so, please fill out the “Housing” section of our volunteer application form.
Want to volunteer?
Once you complete the brief volunteer application form, your name will be passed on to the team leaders in the areas in which you express interest. However, you may not hear from them unless a need arises for more volunteers in their area. Your information will remain in our database and, should the situation change, we will be in touch with you.