Gender Equity Intern – Summer 2024

BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. Domestically, our 26 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency.

SCOPE OF WORK: IRC programming assists refugees to become economically self-sufficient and supports acclimatization within the United States by providingaccess to casework services. All IRC service provisionis provided through the lens of Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI). This role will support the IRC’s Gender Equality work, cross-cutting programmatically and departmentally to support the administration of equitable services and the proper consideration of gender concerns inprogrammatic and departmental initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide clients with support in the completion and submission of various applications to assist the reduction of barriers caused by gender inequities (childcare voucher applications, Lifeline phone applications, etc.).

• Conduct trainingson the topics of public transportation, childcare, digital literacy, and financial literacy to reduce barriers caused by gender inequities.

• Coordinate with casework and economic empowerment service teams to support clients over the course of their service provision at the IRC in issues of gender equity.

• With IRC Gender Equality Champions, implement and monitor performance on one or more in-progress Gender Equality initiatives.

• Engage respectfully with all clients regardless of background.

• Facilitate and conduct client outings (contingent upon office status) to financial institutions, libraries and various other venues to support client engagement with neededresources.

• Other duties as identified by Supervisor.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Intern will gain insights into IRC casework and workforce programs and the process of refugee and asylee integration within the United States.

• Intern will learn to communicate effectively with clients across cultures and with interpreters.

• Intern will learn individual coaching techniques to engage and empower adults.

• Intern will learn about the IRC’s GEDI work and how it informs client engagement and support on an organizational, regional and local level.

• Self-motivated and able to work independently

• Excellent communication and writing skills, including cross-cultural communicative skills

• Works well in a fast-paced environment and adapts quickly to change

• Strong interest in refugee and asylee issues as well as in Gender Equality and Diversity work

• Language skills in Spanish, Amharic, Dari, Pashto, French, Kinyarwandaor Swahili are a plus

• Three month minimum. Required 24 hours/week. Preferred full-time.

• Preference to current students and recent graduates*