About Us – Canadian Red Cross, Humanitarian Issues Program, First Contact

Arriving in Greater Vancouver, refugee claimants face many difficult hurdles in navigating the system and the city. Due to the lack of orientation available to them in their first language, this extremely vulnerable population often has no access to the most basic of services. Through a 24/7-phone line, Candian Red Cross First Contact will provide them with reliable information and referral as they arrive. Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Canada Border Services Agency in Vancouver have agreed to provide claimants at all ports of entry, in detention, and at CIC offices with a Red Cross card that includes a free phone call to a 24/7 multilingual help line.

Duties & Responsibilities

On a shift basis for refugee claimant phone inquiries:

- Answer calls as transferred by the coordinator according to the language spoken by the refugee claimant
- Assess the needs and respond to refugees’ queries
- Provide basic information to refugees about the claim process, legal aid, housing, transportation, food, settlement services, etc.
- Refer to agencies offering a variety of refugee and settlement services
- Connect callers to services, and make appointments when necessary

Qualifications:

- Fluency in English and Spanish
- Experience with crisis lines and referral services is an asset
- Willingness to take ‘on-call’ shifts for refugee claimant phone line
- Must be available to attend training sessions :

Nov 21- 22 (Sat - Sun): 9 am - 4: 30 pm
Nov 24-25 ( Tue - Wed): 6- 9pm
Nov 28-29 (Sat- Sun): 9am- 4:30 pm
- Must be willing to submit to a criminal records check
- Minimum age - 19

Time Commitment & Availability:
- Flexible schedule: must be able to work for some day and/or night on-call shifts
- Long-term commitment required

Application Proces & Information Sessions

If you are interested in joining us to make a difference in refugees’s life upon their arrival, please e-mail us at firstcontact@redcross.ca.

For any questions, please contact following:

Program Assistant, First Contact
3400 Lake City Way, Burnaby
E-mail: firstcontact@redcross.ca

• Location: Lower Mainland
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests