Education Intern

Employer: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) , Immigrant and refugee advocacy and resettlement agency
Location: United States of America (the) (Albany, New York)
Closing date: 01 Dec 2008
Job Description
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants seeks a Refugee Education Coordinator to work in its Albany field office. 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 RESPONSIBILITIESThe Refugee Education Coordinator is an unpaid staff position. The Coordinator works with the case managers to facilitate the enrollment of refugee students in local public schools and broaden the educational opportunities of refugees and asylees.The Refugee Education Coordinator 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.TERMS AND CONDITIONS This is an intensive unpaid staff position to prepare the Refugee Education Coordinator for future employment in the social work, education, immigration, or humanitarian fields. The terms of the internship are the following: - The title of this position is "Refugee Education Coordinator." It is not an internship in the traditional sense, but rather an unpaid staff position. The Refugee Education Coordinator does not have a direct supervisor. - The Refugee Education Coordinator must commit to a term of at least six months with an extension possible if requested. - The position is unpaid. USCRI can assist the Coordinator in securing outside grant money, but this must be self-initiated. - USCRI can assist the Refugee Education Coordinator in finding low-cost housing in the Albany area, but the Coordinator herself/himself is responsible for all living expenses while at USCRI. - The Refugee Education Coordinator is expected to work in the USCRI office a minimum of 25 hours per week (or five hours per weekday.) - The Refugee Education Coordinator must be willing to sometimes work odd hours or long hours. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED - Bachelor's Degree in education, social work, international relations, sociology, 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. DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED - Students enrolled in social work Master's programs are strongly encouraged to apply. - Strong candidates will have previous internship experience in social work, community organizing, childcare, public administration, public health, education, or related area. - Strong candidates will be fluent in a second language in addition to English. Preference will be given to speakers of: Arabic, Farsi/Dari, Burmese, Karen, Nepali, Spanish, Somali, French, Turkish, and Russian. - Solid understanding of international relations and refugee issues highly desired.
Vacancies Contact
How to Apply: Please send letter of interest, current resume, and the names of three references with contact information by email to acuscrialbany@gmail.com Reference [Refugee Education Coordinator] in the subject line of your email.Applications will be accepted until position is filled.International applications welcomed!