Family Engagement Summer Assistant

Job Description

IRC Background: The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC has a presence in over 40 countries and 27 offices in the United States; the IRC leads the way from harm to home. The IRC opened an office in Seattle in 1976 and provides immediate resettlement assistance, employment assistance, intensive case management, immigration services, health and wellness programs, and education support.

Job Overview: The vision of the IRC Seattle Youth Program is that refugee youth will have the skills and resources necessary to pursue a future of opportunity. In this process we support refugee parents/caregivers to strengthen their engagement with their child’s school and education. Our goal is to support parents as they navigate the challenges of transitioning and adjusting to a new education system with their children, and as they build their connection and engagement to the teachers, staff, and education system overall.

The Family Engagement Summer Assistant will support the Education Access & Family Engagement program in achieving those goals. Specifically, this role will assist with parent/caregiver outreach on a variety of topics, support the planning and organization of education orientations, provide administrative support to the Family Engagement team, build supportive relationships with families, and generally advocate on behalf of families with the schools. This role may be of particular interest to someone wanting to support refugee and immigrant parents become more comfortable in helping their children adjust to a new education system in the United States.

Major Responsibilities:

- Conduct outreach to parents/caregivers - Work closely with the families, the schools and school districts - Keep families updated on school and community resources - Assist families that need support with school enrollment - Support newcomer families by joining School Orientation meetings with them at schools in South King County - Assist in the organization and implementation of Education Orientation (cultural orientation) meetings for newcomer refugee families - Provide administrative support to the family engagement team

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

- High School diploma, GED, or equivalent; BA in Education, Child/Youth Development or related degree preferred. - Must be culturally sensitive, respectful of diverse backgrounds, and willing to work with English language learners; previous cross-cultural communication experience is a plus - Attention to detail - Ability to research and filter from a variety of school resources and information - Ability to work comfortably with school staff and the community - Preferred experience working with parents or caregivers - Ability to work with others in a cooperative and flexible manner - Must be outgoing, energetic, and flexible - Willingness to adhere to IRC volunteer, intern, and workplace policies - Access to reliable transportation to travel to schools and the IRC office - English proficiency, both spoken and written, and proficiency in relevant language(s) preferred (i.e., Dari, Pashto, Arabic, Ukrainian, Somali, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Burmese) - Experience and proficiency utilizing online platforms such as Zoom and Teams, and Microsoft Office Suite. - Committed to anti-racism and continual learning and growth. - Flexible and adaptable to changing program and student needs. - Team player willing to provide support to other staff and students.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Program Coordinator, Education Access and Family Engagement

Indirect Reporting: Youth and Education Program Manager

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal*****: *Youth Program Team, AmeriCorps Members, other IRC Seattle staff

External*****: *Partner school districts

Working Environment:

This position will be hybrid. You will be working both remote and in-person at both the IRC office located at 1200 S 192nd St, Seattle, WA and with families at schools within South King County.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity****: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer****: IRC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at 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, or disability status. 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 to request accommodation.

IRC- leading the way from harm to home

Please Apply at http://www.rescue.org/careers