Summer 2024 Volunteer Coordinator Intern (IINE Lowell)

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 Lowell, MA office are required.

Volunteer Coordination Internship Overview

The Volunteer Coordinator for Resettlement supports IINE’s resettlement program, particularly the rapid resettlement of over 400 Afghan evacuees currently arriving in New England. They support administrative, programmatic, and community relations functions of the volunteer program. This may include recruiting volunteer teams, communicating with volunteers regarding current and upcoming requests for assistance, and leading volunteer efforts in such activities as setting up apartments for newly arriving clients, assisting with meal and grocery deliveries, or whatever tasks may be required. The Volunteer Coordination Intern can expect to work directly with the volunteer coordinator and should be willing to participate in the hands on work required to assist new clients. The volunteer coordination intern can expect to receive mentoring and experience in organizing groups to perform assigned tasks, time and material management relating to project completion, and the administrative organization of people, supplies, and required tasks.

Reports To: Volunteer Coordinator

Location: Lowell, MA (hybrid format)

Key Responsibilities:

• Support Volunteer recruitment by: gathering necessary paperwork, referring volunteers to background screening, and updating/organizing volunteer lists
• Assist in communication with volunteer teams and the community by drafting periodic messages with updates regarding past and future activities
• Assist the volunteer coordinator in organizing volunteer teams to provide services to clients, including apartment move ins, food or grocery deliveries, and other client-related services
• Assist the volunteer coordinator in leading volunteer activities such as apartment move ins
• Provide general administrative assistance to the Volunteer Coordinator

Qualifications:

• Interest in international, refugee, asylee, and/or immigrant issues
• Patience speaking with non-native English speakers/non-English speakers
• Professionalism, discretion, and maturity in dealing with confidential information
• Experience interacting with social welfare agencies highly desirable
• Experience advocating on behalf of others
• Language skills in Arabic, French, Spanish, Dari, Pashto, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Haitian Creole, or Somali highly desirable
• Willingness to perform physical tasks such as moving furniture, carrying deliveries, etc.
• Willingness to lead others and in the completion of assigned tasks
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Driver’s license and/or car highly desirable

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize common challenges faced by immigrant and refugee populations
2. Develop strong advocacy and interpersonal skills, particularly for use in a cross-cultural, cross-linguistic environment
3. Develop leadership skills and ability to organize the logistical and operational needs of groups to perform complex tasks
4. Develop problem solving skills and ability to plan for rapidly changing requirements
5. Capture important information from meetings and check-ins in concise case notes and via other forms of documentation
6. Identify and access community resources and services, particularly those that cater to the needs of refugees and immigrants.
7. Understand the US Refugee Resettlement program, as well as what part the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and resettlement agencies like the International Institute of New England play in receiving and integrating refugees.
8. Respectfully express and engage with ideas and values in a multicultural, multilingual environment.