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Volunteer in Indianapolis

Become a Volunteer with Exodus

All volunteers must be at least 18 years old or older to engage with all available opportunities. Volunteers who are 17 years old or younger are only eligible for warehouse help and donation sorting (must be accompanied by a responsible adult, ideally in a group setting). Please sign up for the opportunity that is the best fit for you. For help identifying the right volunteer opportunity, contact Jericho Jones (Volunteer Coordinator) at jjones@exodusrefugee.org. Thanks for continuing to offer your support to Exodus!

To become a volunteer, you will need to complete the following steps:

Steps to becoming a volunteer:

1. Sign up For our Organization in Bloomerang Volunteer!
2. View the Refugee 101 Video.
3. Complete the Refugee 101 Reflection Form – this form is required to be considered to be matched with an opportunity.
4. Complete Background Check (if applicable).
5. Attend an Initial Volunteer Get-Together (IVG) if available.
6. Attend a training specific to your chosen volunteer opportunity or view the appropriate training video. Volunteers will be provided with the necessary resources for training upon being approved within the new system.

Once your sign-up is completed and approved, navigate the Bloomerang Volunteer Webapp to connect to the opportunity that is best for you! For brief training videos, use the following link:

Volunteer Training for Using Bloomerang Volunteer

Please consider downloading the mobile app for Bloomerang Volunteer on your phone – this will be one of the most convenient methods for logging volunteer hours:

Bloomerang Volunteer for iPhone

Bloomerang Volunteer for Android

Indianapolis Volunteer Opportunities

Please consider our spectrum of available opportunities. If you already have a Bloomerang Volunteer account, clicking the volunteer opportunity title will take you to directly to the opportunity within Bloomerang Volunteer where you can learn more information or check-in to see if there are new opportunities available.

Front Desk Coverage

We need your help greeting our refugee clients at our office. Primary responsibilities include answering phones and checking in clients. Expect a fast-paced environment with high traffic times, clients who speak minimal English, and little interpretation help. This is a good opportunity to volunteer individually or with a friend!

Time Commitment/Requirements: Must be available during the work week, between 9 AM and 4 PM. Minimum commitment: work at the desk twice a month for at least 3 hours. Six-month commitment required. Background check required.

Teach English

Classroom Teacher: The success of resettlement largely depends on a refugee’s access to English instruction. Volunteer English teachers teach classes under the supervision of staff teachers. Volunteers can choose between 1.5-hour virtual classes and 2.5-hour in-person classes. All materials and curriculum are supplied.

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum commitment: Teach at least one class per week for 6 months. Classes are scheduled Monday – Wednesday in the mornings. In-person classes are offered at 9:30am-12:00pm. Virtual classes are offered at 9:15-10:45am and 11:00am-12:30pm. Volunteers must complete trainings and class observation. Background check required.

Conversation Partner

Having a conversation partner provides newcomers with the opportunity to practice their English-speaking skills. This is a great resource for refugees to supplement the skills that they learn in their ESL classes, as well as for those volunteers who thrive with one-on-one situations. This opportunity often evolves into a newcomer having a social connection that also helps them to successfully integrate in life in America.

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum 6-month commitment. Must be able to meet with the refugee individual or family 2-4 times per month. Must complete 1 training in addition to Refugee 101. Background check required.

Teen Mentor

Refugee youth face unique challenges as they adapt to life in the United States. A mentor provides guidance on how to navigate US culture as a teen and walks with refugee youth as they work towards their future goals. Mentors provide encouragement and support to assist refugee teens in setting themselves up for success.

Mentors will be matched with one or two teens. Teens participating in the program will identify goals they would like to work toward with the help of their mentor. In the past, mentors have helped teens with homework, helped them study for the driver’s test, and taken them to get a library card. Additionally, Exodus will hold monthly educational events for the teens that mentors and mentees will attend together. These will cover topics such as college readiness, employment readiness, and cultural adjustment, in addition to other fun activities.

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum 9-month commitment. Must be at least 18 years old. Must be able to meet with the refugee teen at least 2 times per month. Must complete Exodus trainings, Stewards of Children Training (online), and a personal interview. Background check required. This volunteer opportunity is a hybrid opportunity (both virtual and in-person). 

Homework Helper Volunteer

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum 6-month commitment. Must be able to meet with the refugee individual or family 2-4 times per month. Must complete 1 training in addition to Refugee 101. Background check required.

Bus Training Volunteer

The Exodus Bus Training Program seeks to assist newcomers in achieving self-sufficiency as they learn how to navigate their city via the bus system. Refugees will identify their goals in travel skills. This would always include learning how to get from their home to Exodus but could also include learning how to travel to the grocery store, their job, their school, or even public service locations (like the Social Security office or their local BMV). Volunteers and clients alike will have the opportunity to learn more about the city of Indianapolis, enjoy some sights along the way, and develop friendships based upon shared experience.

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum 3-month commitment. Operating hours for this opportunity range between 7A – 4P on Monday through Friday. Outings generally take a minimum of 3 hours round trip. Please communicate availability within this window – volunteers should be prepared to be called upon approximately 1 week in advance (it is not mandatory to accept every opportunity – just be willing to be asked). Background check required.

Transportation Volunteer

Many of our programs at Exodus seek to provide support to our clients by transporting newcomers and their families to doctor’s appointments, grocery store outings, bank visits, and more. This is a great way for volunteers to provide practical and emotional support to refugee families as they learn to navigate their new country and build skills towards self-sufficiency. Having a personal vehicle and space to take multiple people at a time may be mandatory for some of these opportunities.

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum 3-month commitment. Operating hours for this opportunity ideally exist in 2-hour slots and range between 7A – 4P Monday through Friday. Please communicate availability within a specific 2-hour slot – volunteers should be prepared to be called upon between 1 week to 1 day in advance (it is not mandatory to accept every opportunity – just be willing to be asked). A copy of driver’s licenses and insurance cards will be required. Background check required.

Be a Community Support Team

Perfect for faith organizations, companies, and civic organizations, Community Support Teams partner with Exodus to assist a refugee family with adjusting to life in the U.S. Groups typically work with a family during their first 90 days in the U.S. but may also be placed with a recently arrived family who would benefit from support. Volunteers assist with activities such as meeting the family at the airport, setting up an apartment, providing transportation to appointments, teaching English, providing financial assistance (rent, utilities, school supplies etc.) and more. For more information, contact Kristopher George, Community Support Team Coordinator, at kgeorge@exodusrefugee.org.

Time Commitment/Requirements: Minimum 90-day commitment. Must be comfortable working with individuals with limited English proficiency. Groups must complete a comprehensive training and all participants must pass a criminal background check.

One-Time Opportunities

1) Warehouse Help/Donation Sorting – We need assistance maintaining the order of our warehouse by way of sorting donations, assembling furniture from boxes, organizing clothes, and/or staging furniture. Please let us know if you are available to assist with this need. Background check not required.

2) Apartment Setups – As large volumes of refugee cases continue to be added to our community, and we will need help setting up those apartments or rental houses. This would involve unloading moving trucks and/or unpacking household items to be placed neatly in the new home. Please keep in mind that we are often given very short notice to when a new refugee family arrives and need volunteers to be on call if needed. Background check required.