Refugee Barrier Reduction Intern; Fall

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.

IRC programming assists refugees to become economically self-sufficient and supports acclimatization within the United States by providing access to casework services. This role will support the IRC’s economic empowerment program in effectively reducing the barriers of humanitarian migrants to achieve self-sufficiency in the United States.

• Provide clients with support in the completion and submission of various applications to assist the reduction of barriers to employment in the United States (childcare voucher applications, Life Line phone applications, etc.).
• Conduct training on the topics of public transportation, childcare options, digital literacy, job readiness, and understanding public benefits to reduce barriers to employment.
• Participate in supporting clients in Job Application Hours to understand the process of applying for jobs in the United States and submit needed employment applications to achieve economic self-sufficiency.
• Coordinate with economic empowerment service teams to support clients over the course of their service provision at the IRC in issues of barrier reduction.
• Engage respectfully with all clients regardless of background.
• Facilitate and conduct client outings (contingent upon office status) to financial institutions, libraries and various other venues to support client engagement with needed resources.
• Other duties as identified by Family Employment Services (FES) Program Coordinator.

• Intern will gain insights into IRC casework and workforce programs and the process of refugee and asylee integration within the United States.
• Intern will learn to communicate effectively with clients across cultures and with interpreters.
• Intern will learn individual coaching techniques to engage and empower adults.

• Self‑motivated and able to work independently.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, including cross‑cultural communication skills.
• Works well in a fast‑paced environment and adapts 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.
• Three‑month minimum. Required 24 hours/week. Preferred full‑time.
• Preference to current students and recent graduates.

• Must be able to work in‑person at the Silver Spring office and at least 15 hours per week.
• Interns must be enrolled students or recent graduates (or qualifying volunteers); applicants outside of 12 months from graduation are welcome to apply as volunteers.

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.