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Are you interested in working with refugees? Are you interested in helping people access health care and health information?

Who We Are: TheRefugee Health Initiative is a professional student health organization that matches student volunteers with newly resettled refugees to help them establish a medical care home and provide them with basic health information. Volunteers are given a curriculum and resources to use with their matched families.

If you choose to volunteer, we will match you and another student with a family to meet consistently for 5-8 sessions, covering topics on nutrition, physical activity, health literacy, understanding the medical system, and mental health.

Roles of a Volunteer:

  • Advocate and serve as a liaison for refugee communities in the triangle
  • Establish a medical home for newly arrived refugees
  • Educate refugees on patient’s rights, public assistance, and basic health concerns.
  • Participate at least once in a community event relevant to the curriculum and that your family would find useful

Time Commitment: Attend a training session in late September and regularly schedule hour-long education sessions with your assigned refugee family (about 5-8 times throughout the semester).

If you have any further questions, please reach out to us at refugeehealth.unc@gmail.comor FILL OUT THE APPLICATION