Refugee Employment and Skill-Building Intern - Spring 2025

International Rescue Committee
United States, Maryland, Silver Spring
Nov 16, 2024
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future. Background: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. Domestically, our 26 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency. Scope of Work: The Refugee TANF Coordination Program (RTCP) specializes in providing holistic services to humanitarian immigrant parents receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The goal of the program is threefold: 1) assist households in maintaining compliance with their TANF benefits, 2) reduce barriers to self-sufficiency and employment, for both spouses if a two-parent household and 3) assist the employment ready spouse(s) in securing full-time employment. The intern will work directly under the supervision of one of the RTCP employment specialists. Responsibilities: Assess new clients through creating their individual initial employment plan and pre-employment budget. Conduct bulk Zoom or in-person skill-building or information sessions, including on job readiness, interviews, digital literacy, public transport, childcare options, driver's licenses, GED courses and credential evaluation. Assist clients with public benefit application follow-up, calls to external service providers and referrals to internal and external services. Create individualized resumes and cover letters, assist with finding job leads and complete job applications with clients. Strategically research potential employer partners and conduct outreach. Regularly track service provision through electronic data entry and organize required client documentation. Other duties assigned by the RTCP team. Learning Objectives: Intern will gain US resettlement agency experience in assessing new clients. Intern will learn how to train and communicate with a diverse population, including how to effectively utilize interpreters. Intern will acquire knowledge of programs and public benefits available to humanitarian immigrants. Intern will learn how to effectively create resumes and job search for clients. Intern will gain skills in strategic research and outreach strategies. Intern will learn reporting requirements for resettlement agencies and how capturing this data improves services. Minimum Qualifications: Current undergraduate, graduate student or less than 12 months out of school. * Minimum 24 hours per week, three-month commitment and three full working days per week; full-time 32-40 hours per week highly preferred. Strong digital literacy skills and the ability to learn new software and tasks. Organized and attentive to detail. Ability to work independently and multi-task. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Experience or interest in conducting trainings. Interest in working with refugee and humanitarian populations. Fluency in Dari, Pashto, Ukrainian, Spanish, Kiswahili, Kinyarwanda, Tigrinya, or Amharic is a plus. Access to an insured vehicle preferred, but not required. TO APPLY ClickApply Nowat the top of this page. Please attacha resume, cover letter and a list of (at least) three references to your application. The deadline to apply is January 6th, 2025. This position is for Spring 2025 and requires a minimum commitment of 4 months and at least 24 hours per week. 32-37.5 hours per week preferred. Spring 2025 Interns are expected to begin their internship term by attending an in-person intern orientation on January 27th, 2025 from 9:15AM-3:30PM. We currently offer internships during the following semesters: Spring: January - May Summer: June- August Fall: September - December Internships are typically posted 2-3 months prior to the anticipated start date. Note: Internships with the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring are unpaid. Spring 2025 interns may be eligible for per diem reimbursement at a rate of $15/day to cover the costs of food and travel. School credit may be received depending on your program and institution.For information on scholarship opportunities, contact your university or the IRC Silver Spring intern coordinator at Michalina.Kulesza@Rescue.org. Candidates applying who are not currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or are outside 12 months of their graduation are welcome to apply. These candidates will be processed as volunteers. To protect our clients, the IRC requires all selected applicants to complete background checks. We ask that you make a $30 donation to help us cover the associated costs. Currently, 87% of our funding goes directly to programming to support our clients, and your help to cover this cost will ensure that no funding is directed away from serving our clients. Instructions will be provided after you have been selected to intern or volunteer. IRC leading the way from harm to home.* IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you need assistance in the application or hiring process to accommodate a disability, you may request an accommodation at any time. Please contact Talent Acquisitions atIRC.Recruitment@rescue.org.As required by law, the IRC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with a known disability. Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.