Matching Grant Internship

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 45 countries and 29 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. Domestically, our 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 Intern Work: The IRC in Boise’s Employment & Economic Wellbeing Team provides early employment, job readiness training, and career development services to ensure clients achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence. The Matching Grant early employment program is a federally funded voluntary program and an alternative to public cash assistance/welfare programs. Matching Grant aims to help refugees achieve self-sufficiency through paid employment within their first 120-180 days of arrival in the U.S. The Matching Grant intern will assist the Employment & Economic Wellbeing Supervisor with day-to-day management of the MG program, as well as provide assistance to newly arrived refugees to secure their first job in the U.S.

Responsibilities:

·Day-to-day management of Matching Grant program. This includes assistance with assessment, orientation, enrollment, compliance, file maintenance, and budgeting.

·Assess supportive needs for each individual client. This includes need of child care assistance, special transportation consideration, and donation needs. Work with Case Work and Employment & Economic Wellbeing teams to trouble shoot solutions to these needs.

·Provide equitable services across genders.

Learning Objectives:

• Intern will learn file maintenance and compliance procedures with federally funded grant program.
• Intern will learn to create effective professional and job level specific resumes and cover letters to benefit the intern’s own professional development
• Intern will learn to communicate effectively with clients across cultures and with interpreters
• Intern will learn individual coaching techniques to engage and empower a vulnerable population
• Intern will learn effective outreach strategies for building strategic relationships
• Intern will learn about how to successfully and appropriately advocate for clients’ rights and needs across partnerships and the labor market
• Intern will learn how to implement program safeguards to protect the vulnerable population, and to empower women