Case Work Internship

BACKGROUND: Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading nonsectarian, non-governmental organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and other persons fleeing war, persecution and violent conflict.  In the United States, IRC provides assistance to refugees from around the world who have been approved by the U.S. federal government for resettlement. At the Suburban Washington Resettlement Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, our IRC Washington, DC Regional Office (IRC/DC) serves refugees, asylees and victims of human trafficking who live in southern Maryland, DC and northern Virginia.

Refugee Resettlement: One aspect of the IRC is to provide assistance to refugees resettling in the United States.  The IRC opened an office in Washington, DC in 1975 to provide Reception and Placement (R&P) services to newly arrived refugees.  The refugee resettlement office moved to the Suburban Washington Resettlement Center in Silver Spring, MD, in August, 2006.  Currently, the majority of the IRC-Silver Spring office’s clients are from Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia Burma, Ethiopia, Eritrea and the DRC.

Asylee Program:  The Asylee Program provides services for asylees, Cuban parolees, secondary migrants and victims of trafficking.  The program provides encouragement and incentives for them to enter the workforce quickly.  The goal of this program is to reach out to immigrant populations and their needs in the Washington DC area.  

SCOPE OF INTERN WORK:

The Case Work team is the first point of contact for newly-arrived refugees.  Case Workers provide initial services to orient refugees to life in the US.  These services include securing housing, addressing medical concerns, registering children in school, applying for Social Security cards and State IDs, and linking clients to our internal and mainstream services. The intern will assist the case work staff in providing IRC clients with all initial services in the resettlement process.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assist case workers in managing clients’ cases and maintaining case filesOrient new clients on methods of public transportationAssist clients with applications for Social Security cards and State IDsAccompany clients to various appointments including but not limited to: medical appointments, immunization appointments, ESL class enrollments, and school enrollmentsAdvocate in the field for clients’ access to public servicesPerform on-going orientations on safety, health and hygiene, and financial literacyUpdate resources which are distributed by case managers to clientsAssist with other duties as assigned

 LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Intern will gain US field-office experience interacting with and assisting asylees and refugees recently resettled in the USIntern will acquire detailed knowledge of programs (e.g. Matching Grant, Public/Private Partnership, etc) and public benefits available for refugees and asylees during their resettlement periodIntern will learn reporting requirements for resettlement agencies and how to capture data to improve servicesIntern will gain exposure to case work in the resettlement field

 REQUIREMENTS:

Candidate must be a current student or 6 months out of school*Ability to work independently and under pressure in a fast-paced environmentOrganized with attention to detailCreativity and initiative to follow through on projectsExcellent communication and writing skillsAn interest in international and refugee issuesInterest in or experience working in a multi-cultural settingWillingness to use public transportation with clients in order to orient clients to buses, etc.Fluency in one of the following languages is highly desirable: French, Arabic, Amharic, Burmese, Nepali, Swahili, Farsi or TigrinyaA car or access to a car is highly desirableStudents and recent graduates (within the last six months) may apply

Note: This is an unpaid internship; school credit may be received depending on your program and institution.

* Applicants that have completed school may also apply. If selected, they will be formally categorized as Case Work Volunteers.

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 or disability.

   

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