USCRI Albany seeks a Refugee School Impact Intern to facilitate the enrollment of refugee students in local public schools and broaden the educational opportunities of refugees and asylees.
The Refugee School Impact Intern will work closely with Case Managers and the Director at USCRI Albany. S/he will act as a liasion between refugee families and public schools. The position involves helping families register children for school and complete immunization requirements. The Refugee School Impact Intern will work with schools to build capacity for serving refugees and immigrants.
For more information about possible educational grants, read below.
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants has been helping people flee war and persecution since 1911. USCRI addresses the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide by advancing fair and humane public policy, facilitating and providing direct professional services, and promoting the full participation of migrants in community life.
Through its network of resettlement field offices and partner organizations, USCRI provides refugees and immigrants across the United States with the support, services and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives and enrich their communities.
The USCRI field office in Albany opened in 2005 and now resettles hundreds of refugee families every year in the Capitol Region of New York State. The largest populations served by the Albany field office are Burmese, Iraqi, Afghan, Congolese, and Bhutanese refugees.
The Albany field office also has an immigration and asylum services program that serves not only refugee clients and their families, but asylum seekers and immigrants from the wider community as well.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Refugee School Impact Intern is expected to:
• Start enrollment paperwork for refugee students prior to their arrival in the United States and take refugee students to their first day of school.
• Facilitate daycare and Head Start enrollment.
• Maintain education files for all refugee students.
• Facilitate refugee students getting their required vaccinations and keep track of vaccinations for each student.
• Take refugee children to health appointments when necessary.
• Assist refugee parents in education-related matters.
• Complete regular case notes for each student.
• Ensure that all refugee students are receiving free lunches.
• Liaise with local schools and facilitate orientation and information sessions for school officials on the special needs of refugee children when necessary.
• Hold information sessions for older refugees wishing to continue their education.
• Help university-age refugees apply to local universities and community colleges.
• Find summer school and summer camp opportunities for refugee students during summer months.
• Facilitate daycare and Head Start enrollment.
• Maintain education files for all refugee students.
• Facilitate refugee students getting their required vaccinations and keep track of vaccinations for each student.
• Take refugee children to health appointments when necessary.
• Assist refugee parents in education-related matters.
• Complete regular case notes for each student.
• Ensure that all refugee students are receiving free lunches.
• Liaise with local schools and facilitate orientation and information sessions for school officials on the special needs of refugee children when necessary.
• Hold information sessions for older refugees wishing to continue their education.
• Help university-age refugees apply to local universities and community colleges.
• Find summer school and summer camp opportunities for refugee students during summer months.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
• For Summer 2011, this internship requires a commitment of 10-12 weeks, 30-40 hours per week. Preference is given to candidates who can work 40 hours for 4-6 months.
• As this position focuses on schools, strong preference is given to candidates available all summer and into the beginning of the school year (end of Sept/mid October at minimum)
• All USCRI Albany internships are unpaid. Interns are responsible for all living expenses during the internship period.
• With a 300 working hour commitment applicants may qualify for an Americorps Educational Award of $1000. Only applicable for U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• As this position focuses on schools, strong preference is given to candidates available all summer and into the beginning of the school year (end of Sept/mid October at minimum)
• All USCRI Albany internships are unpaid. Interns are responsible for all living expenses during the internship period.
• With a 300 working hour commitment applicants may qualify for an Americorps Educational Award of $1000. Only applicable for U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
REQUIRED
• Acquiring or having already acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in political science, international relations, law/justice, or human rights, or related field required.
• Must speak, read, and write English fluently and at a university level.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and other Windows applications and have experience with Internet research and databases.
• Must have excellent organizational, time-management, follow-up, interpersonal, and administrative skills.
• Must have excellent telephone manner, research and writing skills, attention to detail.
• Must be capable of working in a fast-paced, multicultural office environment, take initiative, and be able to handle multiple assignments at once and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to the human rights and general welfare of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants.
• Intern must have a car or be willing to use the bus system or bicycle to attend appointments through the City of Albany and surrounding towns.
• Acquiring or having already acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in political science, international relations, law/justice, or human rights, or related field required.
• Must speak, read, and write English fluently and at a university level.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and other Windows applications and have experience with Internet research and databases.
• Must have excellent organizational, time-management, follow-up, interpersonal, and administrative skills.
• Must have excellent telephone manner, research and writing skills, attention to detail.
• Must be capable of working in a fast-paced, multicultural office environment, take initiative, and be able to handle multiple assignments at once and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to the human rights and general welfare of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants.
• Intern must have a car or be willing to use the bus system or bicycle to attend appointments through the City of Albany and surrounding towns.
DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED
• Strong candidates will have previous internship experience in non-governmental or inter-governmental organizations.
• Candidates who are fluent in a second language in addition to English are highly desired. Preference will be given to speakers of: Arabic, Burmese, Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Karen, Nepali, French, and Russian.
• Solid understanding of international relations, immigration law, refugee law, human rights and public interest legal work.
• Experience with victims of torture or torture-related issues.
• Strong candidates will have previous internship experience in non-governmental or inter-governmental organizations.
• Candidates who are fluent in a second language in addition to English are highly desired. Preference will be given to speakers of: Arabic, Burmese, Farsi/Dari, Pashto, Karen, Nepali, French, and Russian.
• Solid understanding of international relations, immigration law, refugee law, human rights and public interest legal work.
• Experience with victims of torture or torture-related issues.
Please submit a cover letter and resume to Jen Barkan, Resource Manager, at info@uscri-albany.org.
Please indicate in your cover letter the time frame and number of hours per week you would be available for the internship.
If you are interested in being considered for more than one internship with USCRI Albany, please indicate this in your cover letter; there is no need to submit multiple applications.
Some positions are very competitive, please apply early. For Summer 2011 positions, we will begin to review applications in March.
Position will remain open until filled.
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