Housing Specialist Intern (Fall 2024)

Background: 
Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Scope of Role: 
Providing housing is a core component of the resettlement process that creates a sense of safety and stability that is crucial to the success of newly arrived refugees. The Housing Specialist Intern will assist the housing staff to secure and coordinate the furnishing of safe, sanitary, and affordable housing for newly arrived refugees in the greater Richmond area.

Learning Objectives:

• The housing specialist intern will develop skills in problem solving, client services, intercultural social work, and housing logistics navigation.
• The housing specialist intern will gain US resettlement agency experience in assessing program needs.
• The housing specialist intern will learn how to communicate cross-culturally with a diverse population, including how to effectively utilize interpreters.
• The housing specialist intern will acquire knowledge of programs and public benefits available to humanitarian immigrants

Responsibilities:

·Assist with various activities such as housing orientations, housing searches and applications, lease signings, and other client-facing services

·Assist with home set up and furniture delivery

·Help coordinate materials needed for housing setup

·Data entry

·Participation in team and staff meetings

·Be able to lift heavy items and stand for a long period of time throughout the day

·Provide equal treatment to all client groups in accordance with the agency’s commitment to the dignity of all people

Minimum Qualifications:

·Organized and detail-oriented

·Ability to work independently and as a part of a team

·Some experience with renting, moving, paying bills, operating household appliances

·Some heavy lifting (~50 lbs) during housing set-ups required

·Willingness to transport clients, reliable vehicle, driver’s license, and insurance  

·Comfortable with Microsoft Office applications and willingness to learn to use new software for data entry

·English fluency, spoken and written is required, proficiency in language(s) spoken by client groups is desired (especially Dari, Pashto, Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, and/or Kinyarwanda)

This position is unpaid and reports to the Housing & Logistics Coordinator.

*The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlines in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.