Summer 2024 Program Benefits & Administration Intern (IINE Boston)

The International Institute of New England is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving refugees and immigrants in Boston, MA, Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH. The Institute offers internships to students, graduate students, and recent graduates with demonstrated interest or experience in supporting refugee, asylee, and immigrant populations. Each internship includes an educational component, through which interns contextualize their experience and reflect on their service.

All internships are unpaid and correspond roughly with the US semester system:

• Summer Internship: late May/June through August 2024
  (Applications requested by March 31^st, considered thereafter until positions are filled)

First consideration is given to applicants that can commit at least 16 hours per week over the course of the semester outlined above. Applicants are encouraged to apply regardless of whether their schedule fits the semester system; IINE makes exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Slots fill quickly and candidates are encouraged to apply earlier than the requested date above.

Please note that this internship will be a hybrid format, meaning that some in-person hours at our Boston, MA office are required.

Program Benefits & Administration Internship Overview

IINE supports public benefits, including the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) program from the state of Massachusetts. The objectives of the Program Benefits & Administration Intern are to:

1. Distributing Refugee Cash Assistance checks in a timely and efficient manner
2. Increase the enrollment of clients into the data-entry system Apricot and update client contact information
3. Understand the timeline and program qualifications of Refugee Cash Assistance to support clients throughout the receipt of the benefit period
4. Encourage refugees to reach out to IINE when troubleshooting the receipt of Refugee Cash Assistance benefits

Reports to: Program Administration Assistant

Location: Boston, MA

Key Responsibilities:

The Program Benefits & Administration Intern assists in the general administration tasks relating to the Refugee Cash Assistance program, provide support to clients to update their contact information, and assist with data entry. The intern will:

• Support in the distribution of Refugee Cash Assistance checks to current clients
• Process termination notices for clients, including mailing to client and filing for IINE’s record keeping
• Close Refugee Cash Assistance cases for clients who have timed out, moved out of start, or are no longer eligible for the benefit
• Apply for Early Employment Referral Bonus applications for clients who are currently employed and assisting in the tracking of employment status for clients who receive Refugee Cash Assistance
• Handle inquiries over-the-phone or email to update clients contact information, mailing addresses, and to communicate when documents needs to be picked up from the office
• Work within Apricot to complete data entry for newly arrived clients and households
• Support the Basic Services team in applying clients and households for public benefits, as needed
• Help with various other tasks as needed

Qualifications:

• Interest in international, refugee, asylee, and/or immigrant issues
• Patience speaking with non-native English speaks/non-English speakers
• Professionalism, discretion, and maturity in dealing with confidential information
• Language skills in Haitian Creole, French, or Spanish preferred
• Highly organized with great attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

Learning Objectives:

1. Develop an understanding of public benefits, including Refugee Cash Assistance
2. Recognize common challenges faced by refugees who receive Refugee Cash Assistance
3. Identify best practices associated with case management, conducting client phone calls, and confidentiality
4. Capture important information from check-ins and meetings in concise case notes
5. Grow skillset within administrative tasks and upkeep of documentation
6. Respectfully express and engage with ideas and values in a multicultural, multilingual environment.