Caseworker

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IRC - The International Rescue Committee

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Job Description

Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. One aspect of the IRC is to assist refugees resettling in the United States. The IRC opened a Denver office in 2016 to provide reception and placement services to newly arrived refugees. The office is slated to resettle more than 600 refugees and 500 Afghan parolees in the coming federal fiscal year. Wraparound program services and holistic supports aim to realize positive impact in clients’ safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and power. Some services are limited to refugees and other Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible populations, while others are open to a broader population of refugees, immigrants, and forcibly displaced people.

The IRC in Denver’s approach is client-centered, empowerment-focused, trauma-informed, and multigenerational. Advancing racial equity and narrowing the gender gap are priorities for the IRC in Denver. The team’s efforts in this space are ongoing and evolving. Current work is focused on participating in learning and dialogue to deepen understanding and awareness of systemic inequities and systems of oppression; building an internal organizational culture that reflects a commitment to antiracism and gender equality for clients as well as staff, volunteers, and the broader community; engaging clients more deeply in making decisions that affect them, whether at the individual, household, program, or organizational level; using our power and influence to advocate for rules, policies, and laws that address inequities experienced by the people we serve and seek systemic change for the benefit of all who are impacted by these inequities; undertaking intentional efforts to shift dynamics and promote power sharing between leadership and the broader team as well as between staff and clients; and examining and changing practices in recruitment, recognition, and other areas of employee engagement and talent development to prioritize access to opportunity and work toward full inclusion and belonging for clients, staff, and volunteers who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQI, as well as those who have lived experience as refugees and immigrants.

JOB OVERVIEW: The Caseworker employs a coaching approach to assist newly arrived refugees as well as asylees, secondary migrants and other eligible populations, working collaboratively with them to meet their immediate and ongoing needs from arrival up to five years post-arrival. Together with clients, the Caseworker develops and implements individualized service plans in accordance with the Reception & Placement (R&P), Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA), Matching Grant (MG), Reach, and other programs. Through these collaborative service planning efforts, the Caseworker engages with clients to identify goals, facilitate access to related services and supports, and provide coaching to promote client success. In all aspects of client interaction and service delivery, the Caseworker is responsible for employing a client-centered approach while diligently assuring compliance with the requirements of relevant federal, state and private donors.

In addition to focusing on individual-level services, the Caseworker serves families as a whole, supporting adults, children and elders to advance family-level efforts to achieve self-reliance, attain short- and long-term goals, and realize full community integration. To carry out this work, the Caseworker oversees and guides interns, volunteers and community groups, and is responsible for tracking both services and finances provided throughout program enrollment. This includes working collaborative across all teams to promote stability during the initial resettlement period and to support financial stability thereafter.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Coaching and Case Management Services • Coaching clients through steps that will aid them in developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors needed to move toward self-efficacy and succeed in the U.S. • Building rapport with clients through verbal and non-verbal communication. • Developing, activating, and updating individualized plans with the client and coordinating across a multi-disciplinary team, including the Wellbeing Inventory and Plan under the Reach program. • Partnering with clients to identify goals that will improve short- and long-term wellbeing and providing extended case management to aid them in moving toward those goals. • Meeting the immediate needs of newly arrived refugees under the Reception & Placement (R&P) and Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) Programs, including preparing housing and all necessary household items, welcoming clients at the airport, transporting the clients to their new residences, meeting basic needs, and delivering and documenting all required core services. • Providing orientations and home visits for newly arrived clients, following program guidelines. • Assisting clients with applying for public benefits, enrolling children in school, obtaining Social Security Cards, and connecting to other community services as needed. • Supporting the Casework Coordinator and Housing Specialist in researching, identifying, and securing viable housing options for newly arriving refugee clients and longer-term clients in need of additional housing support. • Filling out all required housing related documents, including applications, background check requests, home selection criteria forms, housing supply and safety checklists, and other forms. • Supporting longer-term housing needs, including navigating repair requests with clients until problems are fully resolved and assisting clients in need of additional help to prevent homelessness due to housing transitions and/or crises affecting their ability to retain stable housing.

Coordination and Service Planning • Working closely with the health team to ensure all clients receive initial health screenings. • Coordinating with the employment team to support efforts to secure and retain employment. • Working closely with interpreters to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate services. • Anticipating and proactively addressing problems whenever possible. • Promoting gender equality and full participation of women and girls in programs and services. • Becoming familiar and collaborating with colleague refugee service provider organizations and other community resources to facilitate client access to holistic services and support. • Coordinating with interns, volunteers, family mentors and others directly engaged with clients. • Initiating referrals to internal services and resources, as well as external service providers, and providing support to ensure clients successfully connect.

Quality Assurance and Documentation • Performing administrative tasks including reconciling client financial assistance balances, requesting checks, documenting payments using vouchers and transmittal sheets, tracking in-kind contributions distributed to clients, and conducting regularly quality assurance self and peer reviews of case files. • Maintaining electronic and physical case file documentation in a timely and accurate manner, using Efforts to Outcomes (ETO), Geneva databases, and other systems as required by IRC and donors. • Establishing and maintaining working knowledge of R&P, APS, MG and Reach program requirements. • Abiding by the standards of case management and delivery expectations set forth by the IRC, the Colorado Refugee Services Program, the Office of Refugee Resettlement, and Department of State. • Attending meetings with Colorado Refugee Services Program and other partners as requested. • Fully engaging in all service coordination and case planning meetings, all-staff and program meetings, staff development activities, and training opportunities. • Performing other duties as requested.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to: Casework Coordinator and works cross-functionally to coordinate client support across all internal teams and with external community partners. Position Directly Supervises: Oversees and guides case aides, casework volunteers and interns.

JOB REQUIREMENTS: • Undergraduate degree preferred, ideally in Social Work or an equivalent field of study, or relevant lived experience. • Minimum of 2 years work experience with similar populations in the human services field is ideal. • Fluency in English, both spoken and written, is required. • Fluency in common with one or more of the languages and cultures of the local refugee population is strongly preferred, with Dari and/or Pashto language skills highly desired. • Experience working with refugees or in refugee resettlement is strongly preferred. • Ability to set and maintain healthy professional boundaries with clients. • Excellent emotional intelligence, communication and interpersonal skills. • Demonstrated success working in a multi-cultural environment. • Proven ability to contribute both independently and as a key team member. • Commitment to promoting participation, self-reliance, sustainability, equity and human dignity. • Capacity to respond to adversity with empathy, compassion, and a solution-oriented mindset. • Self-starter with excellent problem solving and proven ability to manage competing priorities, adapt to change, and maintain a sense of humor under stress. • Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook), internet applications and relational database use. Familiarity with the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) database is a plus. • Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle with current insurance, and the ability to travel frequently throughout the service delivery area. • Ability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends as needed. • Ability to safely lift 35 lbs.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: • Work is conducted typically conducted in a standard office work environment with considerable time spent in the community, primarily in neighborhoods where clients live and work. • At present, the IRC in Denver office is partially open. Hybrid remote/in-person work modifications are in place due to ensure staff and client safety given public health guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff will be provided with IRC laptops and cell phones and must have access to a location with secure internet service where remote work can be performed according to the schedule negotiated with their supervisor. • This role entails frequent travel in and around the Denver metro area to facilitate service delivery, build community relationships, and represent the IRC while engaging with clients and community partners. • All staff are required to adhere to IRC’s COVID risk mitigation policies, which include but are not limited to masking, physical distancing, enhanced hygiene practices, symptom screening, and isolation and quarantine when needed. In some cases, these policies may be stricter than those imposed at the federal, state, or local level. • Proof of COVID-19 vaccination status is required. • The IRC in Denver strives to offer a positive working environment, with intentional efforts to ensure that it is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible for all. Staff are required to adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates under policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: This position is a full-time, regular, non-exempt position scheduled at 37.5 hours per week with a starting hourly wage begins at $21.00 depending on qualifications and experience. As a regular, full-time employee, the Caseworker is eligible for the IRC’s comprehensive benefits package, which includes: • Generous paid time off with 20 days of paid vacation per year, 10 days of paid sick leave per year (not inclusive of paid COVID leave), and at least 9 paid holidays per year. • Outstanding medical, dental, and vision care benefits with low employee premiums. • Optional health care and dependent care flexible savings accounts and commuter benefits. • Life, accident, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance. • A 403(b) retirement savings plan that offers employer contributions and a matching contribution program. • A comprehensive employee assistance and resilience program. • Business travel medical insurance, access to Guardian Nurses, and more.

In addition, the IRC in Denver actively promotes learning and growth for its team members, through staff development accounts that allow staff to engage in individualized goal-aligned professional development, access to a range of talent development offerings to build skills in a wide array of areas from humanitarian principles to management skills, and opportunities to lead and engage with colleagues from across the IRC through communities of practice, special assignments, and designated roles that represent the Denver office, whether here in the U.S. or globally.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity in our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at [email protected] to request accommodation.

Qualifications

Added 2 years ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: rescue.org