Signpost
Signpost is a digitally enabled responsive information service that supports and empowers populations in crisis, including asylum-seekers, migrants, and people who have experienced violence. Signpost meets communities on the digital platforms they already use and aims to deliver information that is contextualized to their specific needs and speaks to their lived realities, so that they can make informed decisions about how to stay safe, exercise their rights, and get access to services. This approach draws on evidence that people are more likely to trust and act on information that is responsive to their needs and that comes from “peers” rather than authority figures. Signpost was developed by the IRC and Mercy Corps in 2015 in Greece and is now active in over 12 countries on 5 continents.
Signpost as a digital safety net for Unaccompanied Children
IRC launched the ImportaMí program in September 2021, to reach unaccompanied migrant and asylum-seeking children who are at risk of falling through the cracks, vulnerable to receiving in absentia removal orders (due to missing their hearing), or missed opportunities to secure lawful immigration status, as well as to exploitation, trafficking, or social exclusion. Since the start of ImportaMí, there have been changes in immigration policy, which have increased the likelihood of having more minors cross the US-Mexico border as unaccompanied children, particularly because of the continuation of Title 42. We are expanding our team to include a Digital Community Liaison, on the East Coast and West Coast, who will focus on helping unaccompanied children get access to legal service referrals and other wraparound support. This would be a 100% remote position, but the selected candidate would have to reside on the East Coast or West Coast.
Position summary
Digital Community Liaison interacts with users on social media primarily through private messaging, helping users navigate information on our platforms, clarify and share information on available services, and lend a friendly, empathetic ear. The digital community liaison also speaks with children via WhatsApp calls or via other audio/video platforms to ascertain whether they have received a legal screening, provide basic legal information, and with their consent, collect basic biographic information and make a referral to a legal aid provider.
Essential Responsibilities
- Reply to messages and comments received on Signpost social media channels with the help of a team of experts and moderation guidelines.
- Engage users in conversation online including answering questions, providing potential legal services referrals, basic social services referrals, and other wraparound support.
- Make referrals for children in need of legal representation, following detailed protocol for the referral, including and especially as related to obtaining consent.
- Follow protocol to escalate any communication from vulnerable cases to Protection Specialists.
- Provide feedback on, and translate into English if required, representative, ongoing, and noteworthy comments provided by unaccompanied children through our various platforms and track trends in conversations and information gaps.
- Analyze information gaps amongst refugee/asylum-seeking populations to feed into future content creation.
- Share opinions, feedback, cultural awareness, contextual knowledge, and learning with the wider team on an ongoing basis.
- Collaborate with colleagues to develop thorough, well-researched answers.
- Keep up-to-date with all the new information that we put out on an ongoing basis and attend regular trainings as required.
- Other related duties as assigned.
Team Collaboration
- The Digital Community Liaison will be line-managed by the Program Manager, Signpost.
- They will work closely with IRC’s immigration and legal services teams and relevant partners to ensure legal accuracy.
Requirements
- College degree in a social justice, immigrants’ rights, community advocacy or a related field preferred.
- At least 1-3 years of experience working with children or youth in a voluntary or professional capacity preferred.
- Experience working with immigrants and refugees OR lived experience with displacement or the immigration system.
- High emotional intelligence.
- An understanding of the subtlety of language and an ability to apply communication guidelines in written responses.
- Respect for people of all walks of life.
- Strong research skills and able to locate and synthesize resources for children/teenagers effectively.
- Strong computer proficiency and well acquainted with basic software tools – ability to navigate autonomously in Windows, Android, Microsoft 365 Suite, and Google docs.
- Accuracy and strong attention to detail, especially in written communications.
- Knowledge of social media platforms, especially Facebook, WhatsApp, and cultural use of these platforms.
- Fluent in Spanish and excellent level of English (B2 or higher).
Working Environment:
- This position will be 100% remote and will require a home office setup. This position may transition in the future to be a combination of office-based and remote work depending on the candidate and whether they are located close to an IRC office.
Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
US Benefits: The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.
In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.
How to apply
Please apply on our website:
https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/job/req53390/Signpost-Digital-Community-Liaison