Job Description

Location: Old Street, London (office based at least 3 days per week)

Accountable to: Head of Grassroots Programmes

Hours: 35 hours per week. WRW currently operates a four-day working week (32 hours), which staff can opt into, workload permitting.

Salary: £26,936 (London Living Wage)

Contract: Fixed term, 12 months (with potential for extension)

Application deadline: 10 May 2026, 11:59pm

About the Role

Women for Refugee Women (WRW) is seeking a committed, empathetic and proactive Grassroots Assistant to support the delivery of our weekly activities for women seeking asylum and refugee women, strengthen our outreach efforts, and contribute to a warm and welcoming environment at our community hub.

This role is designed to grow with the individual and is ring-fenced to applications from people with lived experience of the UK asylum system. We are committed to supporting the postholder to shape areas of responsibility based on their strengths, interests, and long-term goals – while meeting the needs of the organisation. You will play a crucial role in ensuring that WRW’s grassroots spaces are safe, inclusive, and supportive, and that women can easily access activities, build community, and participate fully in WRW’s programmes.

Key Responsibilities

1) Supporting Grassroots Activities

Support the smooth running of WRW’s weekly and monthly grassroots activities and short courses.

Set up, pack down, and provide logistical and emotional support during in person sessions.

Welcome network members to sessions, ensuring activities are safe, inclusive, and accessible.

Assist facilitators, volunteers, and colleagues in co-ordinating session materials, monitoring attendance, and providing practical support.

Contribute ideas to help shape activity programmes based on needs, interests, and your own skills.

2) Outreach and Community Engagement

Support the grassroots team in outreach activities to connect with refugee and asylum-seeking women in the community and increase awareness of WRW’s grassroots offer.

Support the grassroots team to share flyers, digital content, and information about upcoming activities, ensuring outreach materials are accessible and inclusive.

Support the grassroots team in identifying emerging needs and barriers affecting women’s participation in activities.

3) Tailored Responsibilities Based on your Skills and Interests

(Examples – these will be tailored according to the postholder’s strengths and development goals.)

Contributing to communications: drafting posts, taking photos (with consent), or helping create simple content.

Helping with monitoring/evaluation, including collecting feedback from participants.

Assisting with peer support activities or co‑facilitating small groups with training.

Supporting the design and delivery of new grassroots sessions that reflect the interests and needs of network members.

4) Administration and Operational Support

Support the grassroots team to keep accurate paper registers, attendance records on the database, feedback, and outreach information.

Support the team with coordination tasks such as messaging network members, updating calendars, preparing materials, and booking spaces.

Ensure safeguarding and confidentiality standards are upheld at all times.

Support volunteers involved in grassroots activities, helping ensure they feel confident and well briefed. Work collaboratively across WRW teams to ensure grassroots insights inform organisational work, including campaigns and advocacy.

Maintain the network members’ notice board and regularly post relevant opportunities for the network.

Person Specification

Essential

Lived experience of the UK asylum system.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a warm, empathetic, trauma-informed approach.
Ability to build trusting relationships with women from diverse backgrounds.
Willingness to learn, develop new skills, and adapt to changing needs.
Ability to work collaboratively as part of a small, supportive team.
Good organisational skills and ability to manage tasks responsibly.
Good computer and digital literacy (email, WhatsApp, Zoom, MS Office).
Commitment to WRW’s values of feminism, anti‑racism, and social justice.

Desirable

Experience participating in or supporting community groups, grassroots spaces, peer support, or women only environments.
Experience working or volunteering with refugee or other marginalised communities.
Multilingual skills.

What We Offer

Tailored training, development opportunities and support to grow your skills and confidence.
Opportunities to shape your responsibilities around your strengths and interests. Supportive line management and pastoral support.
Possible progression pathways within WRW or into the broader refugee rights sector.

How to Apply

Please submit either:

Your CV and covering letter (maximum 2 pages) outlining how you meet the essential criteria, or
A short 3-5 minute video of yourself explaining why you are applying for the role and why you think you are the right candidate for it, including any relevant experience you have.

Please send to our Head of Grassroots, Dina, at dina@refugeewomen.co.uk or if you are doing a short video please send via WhatsApp to +44(0)7988 727784.

Application deadline: 10 May 2026, 11:59pm

Please note that we may close this role early if we receive high volume applications.

Women for Refugee Women is proud to be part of the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative. The network supports inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system. If this is your experience, you can find useful resources here. You can also ask for free and private help with your application by filling in this form.

Please note that due to the volume of applications, we are only able to respond to shortlisted candidates. We apologise for any inconvenience.

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Grassroots Assistant