Cultural Orientation and Education Intern - Fall 2021

Background
The International Rescue Committee, Inc. (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to people forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to rebuild their lives. The IRC in Baltimore was established in 1999 and currently serves over 2,500 immigrants and refugees per year.

Scope of Work
The cultural orientation (CO) program is part of the IRC’s holistic and integrated approach to resettlement. Cultural orientation provides trainings to newly arrived refugees in order to foster a better understanding of their new environment and the services available to them in the Baltimore area. The cultural origination intern will assist the cultural orientation coordinator in designing, developing, and delivering structured training sessions on topics such as financial management, U.S. laws, housing, transportation, safety, healthcare, and cultural adjustment in order to aid refugees on their journey towards self-sufficiency.

Reports To
Cultural Orientation Training Specialist

Learning Objectives
- Develop an understanding of the local food system in the Baltimore metropolitan area, including resources focused on nutrition and food security.
- Learn to identify key barriers to adjustment to the U.S. and methods for teaching clients to become self-sufficient.
- Gain experience in teaching, program coordination, and curriculum design.

Responsibilities
- Using IRC curriculum, teach virtual lessons in group and individual sessions as needed.
- Lead bus orientations and bank orientations with refugee clients in Baltimore City if and when in person activities resume.
- Assist with class logistics by creating class rosters, contacting class participants, and organizing transportation should in person classes be available.
- Support classroom operations by creating and organizing materials.
- Work with interpreters to administer post-tests to CO graduates.
- Support the CO coordinator in researching and designing new modules to update the CO curriculum.
- Assist with documentation, data entry, and supervision of participants’ children as necessary.
- Other duties as assigned.