CareerLink Intern

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ABOUT THE IRC:

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee is a leading non-sectarian non-profit organization providing emergency relief, protection, rehabilitation assistance, resettlement services, and advocacy for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. The 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. work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency, and ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing.

IRC SAN JOSE:

As one of the IRC’s 26 domestic offices, the San Jose office serves refugees, asylees, special immigrants from Iraq and Afghanistan, and victims of human trafficking in Santa Clara County. Since opening in 1975, the San Jose office has resettled over 20,000 refugees, who in turn have helped to build a stronger community. A committed staff of professionals and volunteers provide essential case management and immigration services to immigrant families, providing them with the resources and tools to rebuild their lives with safety and dignity.

SCOPE OF WORK:

For IRC clients to become fully self-sufficient, they must be taught how to obtain gainful employment as well as financial literacy. CareerLink Interns will work in a team to conduct outreach and enroll clients; process scholarships and training enrollments; and assist IRC staff with case management.

This position reports to the IDA/CD Specialist.

COMMITMENT:

Minimum 15 hours per week for 4 months, with a courtesy notice of at least 2 weeks prior to leaving the organization. Hours can be completed during normal business hours of Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Weekend and evening availability may be required for trainings and events.

This internship is unpaid.

ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS:

• Contact previous and potential IRC clients and conduct phone screening for program eligibility
• Outreach to agencies, training institutions, and other entities that may be of assistance
• Conduct intake and enrollment appointments with new clients
• Assist clients with finding and applying to funding opportunities for vocational training
• Support IRC staff in scholarship administration and tracking
• Provide one-on-one assistance to enrolled clients as needed, including workforce readiness training and Job Club support
• Track program status of active clients and provide case management services as needed
• Work closely with supervisor to draft and implement a project over which you will have complete ownership

REQUIREMENTS:

• Proficiency in other languages highly desirable (i.e. Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Tigrinya, Farsi, Dari, Pashto, or Swahili)
• Must be reliable and willing to work independently and as part of a team
• Must be flexible and willing to help other teams and departments as needed
• A willingness to learn about the diverse ethnic backgrounds of clients and adhere to IRC volunteer/intern and workplace policies
• Ability and willingness to drive clients to and from appointments, and/or help teach clients to take public transportation. Work-related driving would be reimbursed.
• Perform front-of-office reception and administrative tasks while in office
• An interest in international, refugee, and human rights issues
• Enrollment in a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree program
• Extensive background or previous study and interest in human rights, forced migration, and/or human trafficking
• Experience working with adults with limited English proficiency or from low-income and diverse backgrounds preferred
• Experience in job searching, including resume writing
• Proficient computer use such as MS Office and Windows
• Comfortable with outreaching to clients on the phone and in person

REWARDS:

• Learn how to effectively teach and educate adults from low-income and diverse backgrounds
• Gain knowledge on employment and workforce training programs

APPLY:

• Complete an online application here : http://bit.ly/IRCVolunteerApplicationSJ
  • Applications must include a resume and cover letter in a single PDF file. Please tailor your cover letter to include the following:
    • Up to three positions of interest ranked in order of preference
    • Time availability, i.e. specific days and times each week, your anticipated start and end dates for interning, and your immediate interview availability, if different from internship availability
    • Any requirements for filing your internship for school credit, e.g. total number of hours to be completed or filing deadline
    • Once your application is received, qualified candidates will be invited to schedule a phone screening

For more information on the application process and timeline, visit our internship page at https://www.rescue.org/announcement/fall-internships-san-jose-2018