Refugee Resettlement Summer Intern at Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities

As one of the largest providers of social services in Massachusetts, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Boston (CCAB) responds to the needs of the poor and working poor, provides supportive services to children and families, and assists refugees and immigrants as they become active participants in their communities. We offer approximately 140 programs and services in 40 locations across Eastern Massachusetts, which allows us to help nearly 200,000 people each year. This work accomplishes our mission of building a just and compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people.

Refugee & Immigration Services

Hundreds of thousands of refugees, asylees, immigrants, and migrants enter the United States each year looking for supportive services. With a variety of multicultural and multilingual services for refugees and immigrants, CCAB is working to help these populations adjust to their new surroundings and become active participants in their communities.

Our Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) program is dedicated to supporting refugee families, asylum seekers, immigrants, and migrants in their efforts to achieve economic, social, and civic self-sufficiency. A multi-ethnic RIS staff comprised of professionals with diverse ethnic backgrounds and rich life experiences provide a wide array of services to newcomers from all over the world.

RIS is comprised of three distinct but overlapping programs: Immigration Legal Services; Community Interpreter Services; and Refugee Resettlement, which includes case management, English for Speakers of Other Languages classes, and Refugee Employment Services.

Internship Position

The Resettlement Intern is responsible for ensuring refugee families are oriented to American apartment living. The Resettlement Intern will also work with refugees in achieving independence and durable self- sufficiency.

Location: Catholic Charities offices and locations including Lynn and Dorchester.

Department: Refugee & Immigration Services

Responsibilities:

• Find and furnish apartments for new arrivals.
• Assist with client registration for social services, including providing escort to state offices.
• Visit refugee clients in Lynn, Dorchester, and Chelsea.
• Escort clients to medical appointments.
• Build case files and keep accurate and complete case notes.
• Orient newly arrived refugees to their immediate neighborhood.
• Demonstrate use of public transportation.
• Orient families to American systems such as banking systems (include budgeting, and bill paying in the orientation), medical systems, school systems, employment systems, RTA system as well as others.
• Orient families to American laws, especially those regarding raising children in the United States.
• Orient families to healthy living in America, (i.e. proper hygiene, cleaning an apartment, routines, etc).
• Orient families to apartment living, help them to understand how to live in a community with American neighbors and what are the expectations placed on a tenant.
• Submit necessary paper work by the appropriate deadline(s).

Key Considerations

• Successful adaptation to the home, as well as immediate and expanded neighborhoods, is dependant on demonstration by the volunteer and return demonstration by the family members.
• Each family learns and masters the essential skills at their individual pace.
• Evaluating their ability to master safety issues is primary.
• During this time the family is dependant on the volunteer(s) and staff assigned to them. Keeping your time commitment to them is extremely important but should an emergency arise requiring you to be elsewhere please notify your supervisor as soon as possible so he or she can arrange suitable participation with the family.

Supervisor: Volunteer & Community Resource Coordinator

Length of Appointment: 10-12 weeks

Time Commitment: 40 hrs/week

Qualifications

• Demonstrated sensitivity to cultural differences (race, creed, economics, religion, etc.).
• Flexibility, patience, and a sense of humor.
• Comfortable working independently with open ended assignments.
• Comfortable travelling by public transportation to clients’ neighborhoods.
• Able to work with people of lower English speaking ability.
• Committed to confidentiality.
• Must agree to a CORI check.
• Be able to submit 2 references.

To apply for this position, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to Jason_Reynolds@ccab.org.