Refugee support volunteer — Dunedin

Join our Refugee Support Volunteer Team in Dunedin!

Help former refugees settle and feel at home in Aotearoa New Zealand. If you want a rewarding experience where you can gain new skills, foster a positive and inclusive local community, and meet new people, join us as a refugee support volunteer.

We are urgently looking for volunteers to join our team supporting the arrival and settlement of former refugee families in Dunedin.

With families arriving, we need additional volunteers to help support them as they settle into life in Dunedin.

Role Description

Refugee support volunteers work in teams to support former refugees as they embark on their resettlement journey. Teams are decided upon volunteer availability. We also try to match people with complementary skills.

Your Tasks

You’ll be helping people navigate life in a new country, which might include

• Setting up a home for a family or individual before they move in.
• Connecting people with schools, English classes, GPs, and other services. 
•  Helping the family navigate the city or town using public transport.
• Learning about another culture and sharing your own.  
• Being a friendly, welcoming presence.

Volunteer requirements and training

Our next volunteer training takes place in early November, with another session scheduled for early December. Registrations are now open!

Next training sessions – November 2026:

Part 1 (online): Tuesday 3 November, 7pm – 8:30pm (IF AVAILABLE)

Part 2 (face to face): Saturday 7 November, 10:30am – 3pm (COMPULSORY)

Unable to attend in November? We also have training scheduled for early December.

You'll receive training in how to give practical and social support, as well as intercultural practice. Training takes approximately 8 hours and is delivered over several evenings and/or weekends. Sometimes training courses are offered during the day.

Training venue: First Aid Training Room 2 [Upstairs] at the Red Cross Service Centre, 31 York Place, Dunedin.