Overview of Project Play:
Project Play is a grassroots NGO working in Calais and Dunkirk, northern France. Since 2018, our dedicated team of coordinators and playworkers have facilitated daily play sessions for displaced children in northern France. An overview of the work that Project Play does and the context within we operate can be provided by reading our most recent report, We Want To Be Safe, and the associated resource list.
Project Play has sustained itself for 6 years through the contribution of wonderful volunteers and generous donors. It is very important to us that our team is suitably supported. They are vulnerable to burnout and vicarious trauma as they are exposed to the conditions that the children live in and the stories that they share.
Overview of the Role:
Project Play is committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our team of volunteers and coordinators. The humanitarian context of northern France is challenging and emotionally demanding, and we recognise the need for adequate external wellbeing support to safeguard the welfare of all our team.
To this end, we are looking for a team of three Psychosocial support Volunteers to support our team in a remote, voluntary capacity. This is complementary to the internal welfare support mechanisms organised by Project Play and the availability of Refugee Resilience Collective sessions, available to all volunteers working in the L’Auberge Warehouse.
This is not a therapeutic role – we make it clear to playworkers/coordinators that sessions are ad-hoc rather than more systematic courses. If you are concerned with a conversation or about a team member’s welfare – you will escalate this to our Board. Outside of concerns, conversations remain confidential.
About you:
You must be over the age of 21 and able to fulfil the minimum commitment required of this role. We are interested in hearing from anyone who has the following skills and experience:
Essential
- Experience in delivering psychosocial or emotional support sessions
- Empathetic and non-judgmental approach
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Proficiency in English
- You are committed to working in line with our safeguarding policies and procedures
- Experience working/volunteering in humanitarian, border or related context
Desirable
- Formal training or qualification in Psychology, Counselling, Social Work or other relevant field (preferable)
- Experience working or volunteering in Calais
- Additional spoken languages
- Experience working with children
Commitment:
This is a remote, voluntary role and an opportunity to use your skills to support the operations of our grassroots organisation. The total time commitment is around 1 or 2 hours a week – however time commitment and how this time is spent will vary across the year. The role has a minimum commitment of 1 year, however the ability to commit for a longer period is desirable.
By joining our team, you will –
- Adhere to and uphold our safeguarding standards and maintain confidentiality
- Offer our team individual or group reflective spaces in which to explore their experiences in and off-load
- Participate, and periodically facilitate, peer supervision sessions amongst the Psychosocial Support Volunteer team
- Always be compassionate and understanding
- Bring expertise gained from previous experiences providing psychosocial support to individuals or groups.
- Keep updated with the context on the ground in Calais through regular communications with the Project Play coordination team and reading internal reports.
- Attend quarterly whole-team meetings
The structure of Project Play:
In northern France, we have four paid coordinators (safeguarding coordinator, volunteer & welfare coordinator, advocacy coordinator and activity coordinator) who work for between 10- 14 months. They live alongside 2-6 volunteer playworkers. Playworkers are with us from 2-6 months and are unpaid. The team is recruited inline with safe recruitment procedure and must be experienced educators or playworkers.
Supporting the ground team, there is a small team of remote coordinators who oversee the back-of-house logistics, finances and fundraising, as well as acting as providing specific support to each of the coordinators and their relevant axes. We also have a board of trustees, overseeing strategy and compliance.
Safeguarding statement:
Project Play acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and adults in our community. Safeguarding is at the core of our work and we are committed to ensuring that our safeguarding practice reflects best practice and upholds statutory responsibilities and government guidance.
Diversity and Inclusion statement:
We are an actively anti-racist organisation and we do not condone saviour complexes. While the spaces we work in are made up of predominately white middle class people, we are actively trying to diversify these spaces. We encourage applications from people with lived experience, people of colour and people who speak relevant languages.
How to apply
To Apply:
Please fill out this form and attach your CV in order to apply.
The form will be open for applications until the 12th October. We will respond to all applicants before the 15th October.