Description
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is seeking an Economic Empowerment Intern to support its economic empowerment program in Silver Spring, Maryland. The intern will assist refugees in becoming economically self-sufficient and support acclimatization within the United States.
Responsibilities:
- Provide clients with support in completing and submitting various applications to reduce barriers to employment in the United States, such as childcare voucher applications and LifeLine phone applications.
- Conduct training on topics including public transportation, childcare options, digital literacy, job readiness, and understanding public benefits.
- Participate in supporting clients during Job Application Hours to understand the process of applying for jobs in the United States and submit needed employment applications.
- Coordinate with economic empowerment service teams to support clients throughout their service provision at the IRC.
- Engage respectfully with all clients, regardless of background.
- Facilitate and conduct client outings to financial institutions, libraries, and other venues to support client engagement with needed resources.
- Perform other duties as identified by the Family Employment Services (FES) Program Coordinator.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain insights into IRC casework and workforce programs and the process of refugee and asylee integration within the United States.
- Learn to communicate effectively with clients across cultures and with interpreters.
- Develop individual coaching techniques to engage and empower adults.
Qualifications:
- Self-motivated and able to work independently.
- Excellent communication and writing skills, including cross-cultural communication skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and adapt quickly to change.
- Strong interest in refugee and asylee issues.
- Language skills in Spanish, Amharic, Dari, Pashto, Haitian-Creole, French, Kinyarwanda, or Swahili are a plus.
- Minimum commitment of 24 hours per week, with a preference for current students and recent graduates.
Additional Information:
- The internship is unpaid, but interns may be eligible for a per diem reimbursement of $15/day to offset food and travel costs.
- The IRC requires all selected applicants to complete background checks and make a $30 donation to cover associated costs.