How volunteers are helping refugees

A refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their country because of persecution, war or violence, and often can’t return home.

Greg plays with children who are living as refugees in Jordan.

It’s really difficult to put a figure on how many refugees there are in the world. However, it is thought that the conflict in Syria has forced more than 11 million people to flee their homes.

The government spends billions of pounds on aid every year, helping people in huge refugee camps like the one Greg visited and providing basic things like running water, food, medicine and shelter.

However there are also lots of volunteers making a huge difference to the lives of refugees.

Here are some of the ways in which they have helped.

Coleen from Leicester decided to help when her son moved out.

She says: ‘"I knew I had a spare room and an open heart, and it just made humanitarian sense."

She explains that she had concerns about a stranger moving in to her home, but has ended up making friends for life.

Read Colleen’s story on BBC Newsbeat

Many refugees flee their homes suddenly with very little in the way of possessions.

Organisations such as Calais Action have been collecting items such as sleeping bags, tents, shoes and coats. Glastonbury Festival even donated loads of wellies that were left behind after the festival!

Various celebrities have been giving their time and possessions to raise money and awareness for the work of volunteers.

At the Help Refugees benefit gig, Kate Tempest and Peace performed new material focusing on the refugee crisis, and Paloma Faith even auctioned off her dress!

Many charities such as the British Red Cross, Save The Children and Oxfam are working hard to improve the lives of refugees. By volunteering at their charity shops, you are supporting their work with those less fortunate around the world.

Roles can range from window dressing, serving customers, sorting donations, and managing social media.

Educate yourself

Sometimes it can feel like the only way to help is to be in the thick of the action, but often a huge amount of work is going on behind the scenes to create long-term solutions.

Read up on the key issues at play, and have a look at advocacy or lobbying campaigns that can help create policy. Newsbeat is a good place to start.

Practical support

Whilst a lot of work is being done at refugee camps abroad, people are needed to volunteer in the UK with organisations to sort donations and drive them to where they need to be.

You can also volunteer to help refugees who are here in the UK with charities such as the Refugee Council.

Be a friend

Refugees often have to start life all over again in a brand new country, not knowing the language or how to access support such as the NHS. Some may also be lonely, having been separated from their family.

Charities including the British Red Cross run support and befriending opportunities for refugees here in the UK, and Breaking Barriers use people’s skill sets to train refugees and help them find employment.

Are you inspired to volunteer? Let us know! Use the #1millionhours hashtag on social media and and tell us how many hours you’re going to pledge so we can count you in the campaign.

Whether you pledge with one of our featured charities, sign up with one of the organisations mentioned here or even decide to take your neighbour out for tea, let us know that you’ve become part of the movement by tweeting @bbcr1 or @1xtra with the #1millionhours hashtag.