Housing & Legal Advocacy Intern

Overview

Assist refugees navigating housing and legal systems while providing advocacy support.

You have:

• Background in Prelaw, Social Work, Public Health OR other related fields
• Experience working with refugees or diverse populations
• Motivated, flexible and ability to work independently, prioritize, and manage time effectively
• Strong computer skill with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and work as a team member in a cross-cultural environment
• IRC orientation and background check required
• Fluency in Arabic, Swahili, Dari, Kinyarwanda or French preferred, but not necessary

The Housing and Legal Advocacy Intern will be providing core services to victims of political torture, domestic violence victims, youth refugees, single head of households, disabled refugees and refugees with PTSD. You will be providing housing resources, housing stabilization, tenant advocacy, eviction prevention, immigration process assistance, legal advocacy for Domestic Violence victims including referrals to Legal Aid, advocacy assistance with divorce documents and assistance with protective and restraining orders. You will be immersed in Middle Eastern and African cultures while assisting clients to be able to navigate United States culture and legal systems. No day will be the same, lots of exposure to multiple disciplines. Our main goal is to get clients self-sufficient and happy. (This would be a great internship for Pre-Law students, or Social Work students). If you don’t know a skill, ICM Supervisor will teach. With successful completion of internship, Supervisor will give an outstanding letter of recommendation.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Home Stabilization: Bishop Store House Food Orders, HEAT applications, housing applications, and setting up affordable housing accounts

• Legal Stabilization: help refugees navigate legal systems through referrals to Legal Aid, legal advocacy for Domestic Violence victims, divorce documents, protective orders, and assistance in citizenship document process (lots of co-regulation skills exposure)

• Core Services: assist clients with State Benefits including food stamps and cash assistance, General Assistance applications, Compassionate Care SSI Advocacy, and Social Security Applications

• When needed collaboration with IRC Housing Department and ECM team

• Needs assessment, budgeting, action plans, and home visits

• Files, case notes, data entry, participation in case staffing and staff meetings

*You will have the support of ICM supervisor for training and education

*This is a refugee advocacy position, you do not need certifications or licensure, but it is a good way to prepare for future licensure in various fields

Qualifications REQUIREMENTS:

• Background in Prelaw, Social Work, Public Health OR other related fields

• Experience working with refugees or diverse populations

• Motivated, flexible and ability to work independently, prioritize, and manage time effectively

• Strong computer skill with proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)

• Demonstrated ability to communicate and work as a team member in a cross-cultural environment

• IRC orientation and background check required

POSISTION LOGISTICS:

• Length of Service: 3.5 months (May 12th – August 29th)

• Compensation:

• Hours: 20-30 hours a week, in 4+ hour blocks

• Program Manager: Laura Gatten

Preferred, but not necessary: fluency in Arabic, Swahili, Dari, Kinyarwanda or French

*It is not expected that you have fluency in all legal, social and housing areas, just a willingness to learn

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: rescue.org