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Citizens for Sanctuary

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Recent signers

Citizens for Sanctuary

Let’s show politicians and people all over Europe what shared humanity looks like. Families fleeing war and hunger are risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean and find sanctuary in European countries. They are calling out for help! Let’s meet their cries with compassion.


If you can't volunteer at this time, use the form on the left to write to government officials expressing your support for the EU plan to give safe haven to more families.



Why People are Volunteering

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1694 have volunteered




What you need to know before volunteering


1. Who's getting involved?

Avaaz is working with with the Organisation for Friendship in Diversity (OFD), to make this project possible. OFD has linguistic, non-formal education and awareness-raising projects in place for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and our community is working with them to create a pool of potential volunteers to support their activities. After you sign up to volunteer we will pass your information to OFD so that it can consider your joining those projects. If accepted, your relationship as a volunteer will be with OFD.

2. What do we need?

We’re looking for people who can pledge to volunteer their time and energy to help both in their local and in emergency areas to help with reception and integration of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. The time commitment involved depends on the OFD’s needs and could range from a few hours a week or full time over the coming weeks.

You could help out in a number of ways:

  • Offering non-formal learning and play for children in a family reception centre;
  • Mentoring migrants, asylum seekers and refugees to help with integration and accessing public services;
  • Teaching English to migrants in a container village reception centre;
  • Volunteering at a children’s summer camp with migrant children;
  • Awareness-raising activities through photography and visual arts -- working with kids in open centres and also assisting with other activities outside of that;
  • Psychosocial and linguistic assistance.

3. Will volunteers receive specialised training?

The Organisation for Friendship in Diversity has committed to training and guiding you through any volunteering you to do with them.

4. What skills do volunteers need?

Many different skills are welcome: language experts, cultural mediators, teachers and English and Tigrinya speakers among others. But most importantly, volunteers need to have passion to improve the current situation and patience to face the challenges of forced migration. The Organisation for Friendship in Diversity will provide the rest you need in terms of training materials and coaching.

5. What are the timelines?

The most urgent need is for people to support migrants, asylum seekers and refugees during their integration/interaction with the Maltese society. After volunteering for this role, Avaaz will send the Organisation for Friendship in Diversity your details and if they find there is a skills fit they will contact you and walk you through the process and get you started. It may take a while and some people may never get placed. Your pledge to volunteer could be presented to local councils as evidence that people are willing to help with reception and overall viability of the project. You can withdraw your name at any time.



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