Interpreter and translator volunteers - Helping refugees find meaningful employment

Interpreter and translator volunteers

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Interpreters attend appointments, which enables any refugees with lower levels of English to receive our full support. Our translators support us to translate crucial documents into different languages, which increases the accessibility of our resources for refugees.

Contact [email protected] for more information, otherwise visit our FAQ page.

“It’s often very humbling to hear about the breadth and depth of their (refugees) education and their impressive past careers, and it’s inspiring to see how hard they are willing to work to create new lives and careers for themselves after overcoming significant challenges and adversity.

Emma - advice and guidance volunteer

Should I apply as an interpreter/translator volunteer if I do not speak one of your target languages? 

Yes! While there are some languages we are consistently recruiting for, we have supported people from over 60 countries. Our clients’ needs are always evolving, and we welcome applications from people who are fluent in English and any other languages to support us in making our services more accessible.

Requirements

  • We encourage anyone to apply for this volunteer opportunity if they are fluent in English and any other language. Some languages that are always in high demand are:
    • Arabic
    • Albanian
    • Amharic
    • Farsi
    • Kurdish
    • Pashto
    • Tamil
    • Tigrinya
    • Somali
  • Computer literate and access to a laptop or computer with webcam
  • Clear communication skills
  • Alignment with our mission to help refugees acquire the knowledge, confidence and experience to get stable, fulfilling employment.

Commitment

  • Ad hoc
  • A typical interpreting appointment lasts for 1.5 hours
  • Translation timings depend on type and number of documents
  • Please note, volunteering takes place Monday-Friday, 9am – 5:30pm.

Location

Roles can be remote and/or at one of offices:

  • London (head office): WeWork, 71-91 Aldwych, London WC2B 4HN
  • Manchester: Landmark Office Space, Chancery Place, 50 Brown Street, Manchester,M2 2JG
  • Birmingham: Landmark, 2 Snow Hill Queensway, Birmingham, B4 6GA

 Benefits of volunteering

  • Have a genuine impact on Breaking Barriers and the lives of refugees
  • Increase understanding of the barriers refugees face in accessing employment in the UK
  • Develop your knowledge and skills
  • Gain an insight into how Breaking Barriers works
  • Be part of an innovative charity that is growing all the time
  • Meet other like-minded volunteers
  • Full induction and training provided.

Hello friend!

Would you like to join our interpreters and translators?

Apply now

Meet our volunteers

Meet our volunteers

Emma

Emma has been using her knowledge as a lawyer to help refugees break into the legal sector.

Meet our volunteers

Eiman

Eiman is a English and Arabic translator/interpreter that's been volunteering for Breaking Barriers since November 2022. In her spotlight, Eiman will be sharing her experience of volunteering, as well as one of her highlights at Breaking Barriers.

Meet our volunteers

Renee

Renee has been volunteering with Breaking Barriers on our education programme as an English teacher.

Meet our volunteers

Sabrina

Sabrina is an advice and guidance volunteer, who began supporting clients in London in 2019 and has recently been supporting BB with regional expansion by delivering 1:1 employment support to new clients in Birmingham.

Meet our volunteers

Stefano

Stefano is an advice and guidance volunteer whose background in lecturing has supported refugees into further education and employment.

Have more questions?

We have a dedicated page to help answer any questions you might about volunteering in Birmingham, Greater Manchester, or London. If you still can't find what you're looking for, please contact [email protected].

Volunteering FAQs