About the role#
The Refugee Barrier Reduction Intern supports the economic empowerment program by helping humanitarian migrants navigate the systems necessary to achieve self-sufficiency in the United States. This role focuses on direct client support and coordination with service teams to reduce obstacles to employment and integration.
What you'll do#
- Assist clients in completing and submitting applications for services such as childcare vouchers and phone programs.
- Conduct training sessions on topics including public transportation, digital literacy, job readiness, and public benefits.
- Support clients during Job Application Hours to help them understand the application process and submit documents.
- Facilitate client outings to locations like libraries and financial institutions to help them access community resources.
- Coordinate with economic empowerment service teams to address specific barrier reduction issues.
- Engage respectfully with all clients regardless of their background.
- Perform other duties as identified by the Family Employment Services Program Coordinator.
What you'll need#
- Strong self-motivation and the ability to work independently.
- Excellent communication and writing skills, including the ability to communicate across cultures.
- A strong interest in refugee and asylee issues.
- Ability to adapt quickly to change and work effectively in a busy environment.
- Proficiency in Spanish, Amharic, Dari, Pashto, Haitian-Creole, French, Kinyarwanda, or Swahili is a plus.
- Preference is given to current students and recent graduates.
Location & details#
- This internship is based on-site in Silver Spring, Maryland.
- The term is for Winter 2027.
- A minimum commitment of 24 hours per week is required, though full-time availability is preferred.
- The position requires a minimum duration of three months.
- This is an unpaid internship.
About International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee is a nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian aid to people affected by war and disaster. Founded in 1933, it operates in more than 50 countries and 28 cities across the United States. The organization focuses on areas such as refugee resettlement, health care, and emergency relief. It employs over 13,000 people to support its mission of assisting displaced populations.
How to get in at International Rescue Committee
Applying early gives you a distinct advantage at the International Rescue Committee because recruiters review applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first before the pile grows. This helps you avoid the frustration of submitting your materials to a massive, stagnant queue. You can reach out directly to the recruiters behind the company's roles to ask about the position or a referral, which materially improves your response rates. Intern Insider surfaces these specific contacts, allowing you to bypass the standard portal and connect with the people actually hiring for the team.
