Social media volunteers needed!

19 February 2016

We are looking for two to three volunteers who can help us increase our social media presence by;

  • making sure our Twitter account is always active
  • publishing regularly small pieces of detention-related news that we can share with others
  • collating immigration detention related news
  • attending detention-related events and file reports about such events

The Detention Forum also runs an exciting project, Unlocking Detention, every year.  This year’s “tour” will start from October. You can find more about last year’s #unlocked at www.unlocked.org.uk

You need to have;

  • Solid experience of working or volunteering in a NGO or in a team
  • General understanding of immigration detention in the UK (you don’t need to be an expert!)
  • Experience of Internet-based research to find information
  • Solid experience of using Twitter (you need to have actively used Twitter at least for three months)
  • Demonstrable ability to communicate clearly in English
  • Ability to work on your own initiative and complete tasks on time
  • Access to a computer and Internet connection
  • Any design / art / creative skills are a big plus – let us know what skills you have.

In addition, you need to be based in London and must be available to attend a training session from 6pm to 8:30pm in central London on Wednesday 16 March. 

Please do not apply if you do not meet these criteria. 

The Detention Forum currently has one part-time freelance worker who works one to two days a week and five part-time volunteers. They work from home and communicate each other via Skype and emails. You can see why you need to be a self-starter and reliable if you want to join our team!

Due to our limited resources and time, the only tools of communication we have with the outside world are emails, our website and Twitter – so for us, social media work is very important.

We would like the volunteers to be available at least one day a week for at least five months.

The Detention Forum also runs an exciting project, Unlocking Detention, every year.  This year’s “tour” will start from October and end in December You can find more about last year’s #unlocked at www.unlocked.org.uk

If you are interested, please send the following to detentionforum@gmail.com by 3rd March 2016.

  • your CV
  • a short covering letter addressing the above points, confirming that you are available for the training and interview, if recruited/shortlisted
  • details of your Twitter account
  • a short written piece, up to 300 words, on immigration detention (you can write about any topic and theme relating to immigration detention)

We will contact those who are shortlisted.

Interviews over Skype will take place during the day on 7th March 2016 only. 

Volunteering at the Detention Forum is a lot of work.  However, you will get to learn more about immigration detention and you also have a chance to learn how groups like the Detention Forum, its members and other groups around the UK are challenging the government to reduce and end immigration detention.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The Detention Forum team