American Friend - Portland area

Related Program: Refugee & Immigration Services

80 Sherman St.
Portland, Maine

Each American Friend Volunteer (AFV) is matched with a refugee family to help and support their integration into a new community. AFVs help reinforce key cultural orientation topics and help family members practice new skills, like riding the bus, walking to school, doing laundry, taking out the trash, etc. AFVs often form lasting bonds with families during the course of their relationship. This is a deeply rewarding position and is perfect for those who are outgoing, enjoy lots of activities, and want to help newcomers  become independent and  self-sufficient. Knowing another language is useful but not required.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Weekly visits to the home of a refugee and/or community setting. 
• Learn what is important to the refugee with whom you’re paired. 
• Identify local resources and plan activities that support agreed upon goals. 

• Create a safe and respectful environment that promotes confidence and honors cultural traditions. 
• Use a variety of instructional strategies to refugees. 
• Tutor and practice conversational English with refugees remotely on Zoom, WhatsApp, and/or in the home of the refugee. 
• Collaborate with RIS resettlement case management specialists and the Volunteer Coordinator to assess the needs of the refugee and monitor progress. 

Impact of Opportunity:  

The American Friend volunteer will improve the quality of life of refugees by helping them make permanent connections to their new home.  The American Friend volunteer will embody the CCM core value of “hospitality” by “welcoming the most vulnerable and in need to an environment of dignity, safety, warmth and a sense of being home.” The efforts of the American Friend volunteer will help refugees build a safe life in Maine by improving connectedness to their local community at large and to the local immigrant community. The efforts of the American Friend volunteer will help refugees become independent and self-sufficient. 

Qualifications & Skills Required: 

• Must be 21 years of age or older. 
• Access to a reliable vehicle and clean driving record.  

• Ability to approach cultural & age differences humbly from a place of learning. 
• Commitment to ongoing self-reflection to examine privilege and prejudices. 
• Willingness to learn from refugees and promote respect. 
• Ability to build relationships and establish trust. 
• Patience, flexibility, and dependability.  

• Outgoing with excellent communication skills. Language skills helpful. 
• Experience and/or strong interest in working with people/families from different cultural backgrounds. 
• Ability to learn/teach how to access local resources. 
• Creative problem solving. 

Training Offered:  

• Catholic Charities Maine Volunteer Orientation 
• Ongoing RIS program/department orientation with various staff 
• Monthly supervision with Volunteer Coordinator 
• Webinars & courses from Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange, Switchboard and more. 

Time Commitment & Schedule: 2 hours per week for a minimum of 12 months. 

Benefits: 

• An increased appreciation for human rights. 
• Deepening of your knowledge of immigration. 

• A mutually beneficial cultural exchange. 
• Learn how to use an interpreter effectively and practice language skills. 
• Learn about the naturalization process and increased appreciation of US citizenship. 

Program Contact: If interested, you may also contact our Volunteer Services , at 207 523-1152, or [email protected] or Tracy Moore, program manager - at [email protected]

Updated July 2023: TEM 

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