Internship Opportunities in Dallas

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps families uprooted by crisis survive and rebuild their lives. The IRC relies on interns to support its work helping these families adjust to a new life in the U.S. Volunteers and Interns form the very backbone of our programs here in the United States.  If you have a passion for people, we can help you find your place as an intern at the IRC.

Casework Program Department

Extended Case Management Internship

The ECM program provides trauma-informed services to refugees, asylees and other immigrants eligible for enrollment up to the first 5 years in the United States. ECM helps clients formulate service and/or self-sufficiency plans to meet individual needs utilizing a broad range of financial, medical, social, vocational, and other services and resources in accordance with client eligibility and program requirements. ECM interns can expect to assist the ECM Caseworker with the following tasks:

• Conduct intake services with clients to assess needs. Develop self-sufficiency plans and timelines in partnership with each client. Provide individualized support through direct services, referrals, and advocacy.
• Assess and monitor client progress to support their attainment of established goals, address challenges, and to ensure that available resources are utilized.
• Detail each client interaction in accordance with program requirements. Input client information in database(s) and assist with tracking and reporting as needed.
• Collaborate effectively with coworkers and partner organizations. Build and maintain relationships with area service providers for the benefit of clients.
• Use personal, insured vehicle and/or public transportation (where available) to travel and transport clients and materials as needed throughout the service delivery area.
• Other duties as assigned.

Intensive Case Management Internship

The Intensive Case Management (ICM) program is a federally-funded wraparound services program for refugees and asylees who have resettled in Dallas within the last 5 years. The cases that we usually see in these programs need significantly more help from their caseworkers than as expected in their initial 90-day Resettlement and Placement (R&P) period. Oftentimes these cases seek ICM services due to more complicated physical and mental health challenges, and/or experience of domestic or family violence in the home. Interns can expect tasks such as:

• Assist refugees in understanding social and medical service system. Schedule appointments and assist with intake paperwork. Provide community outreach. Provide follow up and assist with barrier removal including transportation and interpretation. Accompany clients to intakes for SSI and other service enrollments.
• Meet with refugee clients to assess needs and progress. Work with family in collaboration with ICM case worker to develop a service plan for the client. Review service plan at intervals to track progress and update as necessary. Assist with services to remove barriers to service plan implementation.
• Assist clients in completing benefits applications and re-applications. Provide training on the US benefits system including the short-term intent of public assistance. Complete interviews on behalf of clients.

Reception & Placement Casework Internship

The Reception and Placement (R&P) program is the first program that incoming refugees enroll in when they arrive in the United States. Intern tasks include but are not limited to:

• Prepare files for new arrivals, complete apartment shopping and set up, meet new arrivals at the airport, assist with orientation to housing. Assist with locating housing, connecting utilities, bill management and bank account openings.
• Assist newly arrived children with orientation on the U.S. education system, take students for ESL testing and school enrollment, assist with completing new school enrollment paperwork, and follow up with the school district on needs.
• Drive clients to and from clinic appointments.
• Orient clients on how to use the public transportation system in Dallas.
• Teach cultural orientation classes, assist in developing additional curricula, schedule external presenters, and follow up on attendance.

Development Department 

Development Internship

This department is in charge of fundraising, recruiting volunteers and interns, and soliciting in-kind donations. Interns can expect to assist with the following tasks:

• Assist the Development Director increase funding sources and community support in the Dallas area.
• Assist marketing team with content creation and donor/volunteer communication.
• Help with creating strategy plan for community outreach.
• Help with donation inventory, distribution, and solicitation. (Mileage is reimbursed)
• Attend and actively participate in staff meetings and special staff development programs.
• Must be comfortable with working independently and lifting and transporting items.
• Development team administrative support tasks as assigned.

Economic Empowerment Department

Career Pathways Internship

Career Pathways assist clients who have been in the U.S. for at least 1 year and are looking for gainful employment that requires higher level skills, and yields higher wages. This program connects clients to credentialing and vocational programs through local community colleges and trade schools. Intern duties include:

• Teach Career Pathways Orientation and Digital Literacy classes to adult refugees who are earning a credential from a vocational training program. Classes are focused on digital literacy (basic computer skills) and industry-specific orientations like forklift and commercial trucking. Curriculum is provided.
• Assist with enrolling clients into the CP program 
• Administrative tasks such as scheduling, case noting, and entering data for grant requirements.
• Communicate effectively with IRC staff in related programs, including Financial Coaching and Employment.

Employment Internship

Includes RSS (Refugee Social Services – employment) and Matching Grant programs (both of which are federally funded). The Employment programs are geared towards clients looking for their first jobs in the U.S. Interns can expect to perform tasks such as:

• Help clients identify and secure job opportunities that will help them obtain self-sufficiency.
• Research, identify, and network with potential employers to develop job opportunities.
• Attend local job fairs and other events that support the identification of potential employment opportunities.
• Assist clients with job applications, resume creation, interview practice, and other pre-employment skill-building.
• Teach job readiness training classes in a classroom setting (curriculum provided).
• Assist clients in securing reliable transportation for work. Includes public transit orientation and organizing carpools.
• Assist Employment staff in administrative tasks.
• Other duties as assigned.

Financial Coaching Internship

Advocating for economic justice for all of our clients is a big priority at the Dallas IRC. Our Financial Coaches assist clients in reaching their financial goals including applying for loans, building credit, budgeting, banking, and reconciling debt. We believe that financial education, skill-building, and empowerment is the key to helping our clients overcome the cycle of poverty. Interns can expect to help with:

• Enrolling clients in the Financial Coaching program
• Performing data entry, scheduling, case notes, and other administrative tasks
• Teaching Financial Literacy classes in budgeting, banking, credit, debt, and loans (curriculum provided)
• Helping clients open bank accounts
• Going over budgets with clients (in tandem with the Employment department)
• Letting the client lead in setting their own financial goals.
• Assist clients with their loan application process in Happy Mango.
• Follow-up phone calls
• Update Financial Literacy curriculum (as needed)
• Inbound/outbound referrals (as needed)

Education & Youth Program Department

Academic Coach (Youth Program)

The Refugee Youth Mentorship Program (Academic Coaching) provides refugee youth between the ages of 14-22 with year-round academic support, literacy training, and enrichment activities. It also equips their families with resources and support services to enable them to navigate the public education system in Dallas. Our goal is to help recently arrived refugee and immigrant youth adapt successfully in Dallas and Richardson Independent School Districts while giving them the tools and opportunities they need to grow in their academics, regulate emotions, and expand their social circles. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct student assessments to set a baseline for growth and a starting point for service provision.  
• Establish an individual service plan for the academic year with newly arrived refugee youth and provide mentorship in reaching goals.
• Teach English one-on-one and provide academic tutoring to help students succeed with their schoolwork.
• Track grades and attendance while providing guidance and encouragement.
• Respond to students’ academic, material, and special case management needs by liaising with internal departments and external resources. Advocate for students and connect them to relevant resources.
• Engage in activities with students to teach positive coping mechanisms and encourage positive cultural identity.
• Facilitate caregiver involvement in children’s education through phone calls, home visits, Parent/Teacher conferences and IRC Caregiver Workshops. 
• Help with transportation by driving students to Saturday Learning Series activities and appointments. 
• Provide or secure interpretation services as needed.
• Maintain timely comprehensive case notes.
• Arrange logistics for field trips.
• During the school year (August – May): Must be available to meet with students after school (between 5-8pm on average), as well as 1 Saturday per month for our Saturday Learning Series.
• During the summer: Must be available during the workday.
• Master of Education or Master of Social Work interns are strongly preferred, but not required.

Immigration and Legal Services Department

Family Reunification Program Internship

With oversight from Immigration and Legal Services staff, the Family Reunification Intern will assist the team in helping eligible clients apply for resettlement to the United States through the following programs:

• Lautenberg Program (for religious minority clients from Iran and Former Soviet Union countries)
• Central American Minors (CAM)
• I-730's
• Affidavit of Relationship (AoR’s)

Interns can expect to perform the following tasks:

• Provide education about family reunification programs, assess for eligibility, assist clients in completing their forms, explain fees, and provide follow-up communication with clients.
• Assist staff with the sorting and filing of documents and case files. 
• Adhere to IRC policies, particularly those related to confidentiality and client privacy. 
• Display sensitivity to cultural and personality differences of clients.  Respect their beliefs and values. 
• Provide translation and interpretation when necessary. Language capabilities in Spanish, Farsi, Russian, Ukrainian, Pashto, Dari, and Urdu are strongly preferred but not required.
• Other related and administrative duties as assigned.
• Intern may be located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, or be willing to work remotely since most of the programs under Family Reunification can be administered online. This is one of the few programs where we can accept remote interns.

Immigration Core Services Internship

With oversight from the Immigration Program Manager and other immigration staff, the Immigration Intern will assist immigration staff in providing direct legal services such as adjustment of status, citizenship, and family reunification to refugees, asylees, and other immigrants. S/he will work closely with immigration staff to provide follow-up communication to clients.  The intern will also perform a series of clerical and administrative duties to ensure client files are kept up to date. Tasks include:

• Assist immigration staff in providing direct legal services to clients. 
• Perform research to connect clients to services including food pantries, mental health services, and more. 
• Assist staff with the sorting and filing of documents and case files. 
• Adhere to IRC policies, particularly those related to confidentiality and client privacy. 
• Display sensitivity to cultural and personality differences of clients.  Respect their beliefs and values. 
• Perform follow-up communication with clients, inform them about the status of their cases, and explain processing delays. 
• Prepare change of address forms with USCIS (The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) as needed.   
• Provide translation and interpretation when necessary.  Spanish language fluency is strongly preferred but not required.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Signpost/ImportaMi Program Internship

With oversight from the Signpost/ImportaMi Program Manager and other Immigration and Legal Services staff, the ImportaMi Intern will assist the team in researching legal and wraparound social services for unaccompanied children who have been placed with sponsors across the country. (S)he will play a key role in helping unaccompanied children access the information they need to try to find an attorney, enroll in school, and get access to basic needs and services in the area where they live. The intern will also assist with translations (English-Spanish) of resources and website articles, to make it easier for unaccompanied children and their sponsors to learn about relevant resources, their rights, and help them acclimate to life in the United States.

• Assist Signpost/ImportaMi staff with online research related to legal service referrals; school enrollment; access to basic needs, like food banks, medical clinics; and where to get the COVID vaccine in their local area.
• Help confirm legal service and wraparound services contact information, hours, and any relevant requirements and create short referral summaries that can be shared via WhatsApp or Facebook.
• Conduct research on additional community resources and follow-up with organizations, as needed.
• Language proficiency strongly preferred in Spanish. Intern will be expected to provide translation of resources and website articles (English-Spanish) as needed.
• Other related and administrative duties as assigned.
• Must display sensitivity & respect to cultural & personality differences, beliefs and values of unaccompanied children and sponsors.
• Must have a strong desire to help unaccompanied children placed with sponsors across the country.
• Intern may be located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, or be willing to work remotely from another state since this is a national program. This is one of the few programs where we can accept remote interns.

Mental Health Department

Mental Health Program Internship

IRC Dallas is proud to offer culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, clinical mental health services to Dallas-area immigrants and refugees at no cost. Services include tele-mental health services, mental health literacy for new arrivals, screening and assessment, psychoeducation, support groups, individual counseling, crisis management, psychiatric evaluations and medication management, case management, and mental health care coordination. Our team is staffed by two licensed social workers, a clinical psychiatrist, psychiatry and psychology residents from UT Southwestern Hospital, and Master of Social Work interns. This internship is only available to advanced-year clinical MSW interns and UTSW psychology and psychiatry residents due to the advanced clinical nature of the work. Intern tasks include:

• Conducting client outreach calls using appropriate interpretation
• Presenting mental health literacy information during R&P’s Cultural Orientation classes
• Facilitating support groups
• In tandem with the Legal department, assisting the Program Supervisor on preparing asylum-seeking clients for their clinical asylum interviews and assessments
• Conducting screeners for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and suicide risk
• Performing data entry for grant requirements, documenting case notes, and coordinating effectively with other staff working on the same cases
• Providing services in-person both at the IRC office and in the community, and via tele-health (remote)
• Conducting sessions with clients in their homes
• Conducting program evaluation and client surveying
• Other duties as assigned.

New Roots Program

New Roots Program Internship

With oversight from the New Roots Coordinator, the Food Security Intern will assist New Roots staff in providing food security and benefits navigation services to newly arrived refugees as they adjust to their new lives in the US. S/he will play a key role in helping refugee families access needed benefits and services as they resettle in the United States. The intern will also perform a series of clerical and administrative duties to ensure client files are kept up to date. Intern tasks will include:

• Perform client intake and collect documents to verify eligibility for program.
• Drive clients to Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) office in Dallas, and advocate for clients' benefits approval.
• Assist New Roots Specialist in teaching food and nutrition workshops
• Follow up with HHSC on a regular basis.
• Pick up food items from distributor and drop off emergency food deliveries to clients. 
• Perform client surveys for program evaluation processes.
• Collect eligibility documents and enter data from food security classes.
• Research creative, local resources that help clients become more food secure.
• Work with interpreters to get materials translated.
• Other related activities as assigned.

Operations Department

Front Desk/Reception Internship

Our Office Manager is looking for intern assistance at the front desk to greet clients when the Front Desk Assistant is unavailable or out on lunch break. Intern will be expected to:

• Greet clients who walk into the IRC office lobby and assist them with check-in
• Answer phones and transfer to appropriate staff
• Work closely with all office departments, especially Immigration. Make phone calls and fill out referral forms for community resources.
• Communicate with staff via Microsoft Teams to alert when clients are here for their appointments
• Assist HR manager and Office Manager with clerical tasks such as filing, data entry, and photocopying.
•  Other duties as assigned.

IRC Internship Requirements:

• A minimum of 15 hours per week for 4 months (3 months in summer).  Hours must be completed during normal business hours (i.e. Monday–Friday between 8:30 am – 4:30 pm)
• Enrollment in a Bachelor’s or post-graduate degree program, or pursuing a relevant career.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate professionally in a multicultural setting.
• An interest in international and refugee issues.
• Reliability and flexibility.
• A willingness to learn about the diverse ethnic backgrounds of clients and adhere to IRC volunteer and workplace policies.

   

The Intern Application Process:

1. Please apply for an internship by clicking the link here.
2. Send your cover letter and resume to [email protected], listing your top three internship positions. 
3. After your application is reviewed, you may be selected for a phone interview.
4. Next, you may be selected for a department-specific interview.  This will take place over Teams or Zoom.
5. Successful interviewees will be required to pass a background check before a position is confirmed.  The IRC in Dallas will kindly request a donation of $40 to offset the cost of your background check.
6. If your background check and references are cleared, the volunteer team will work to schedule an intern orientation prior to your start day.

Internship positions are accepted on a rolling basis, and additional opportunities may be available.  Due to the high volume of applicants, applications may be stored until opportunities become available.  Interns and volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.  For additional questions, email [email protected].

Here are other ways to get involved:

1. Become a volunteer
2. Donate new or gently-used items
3. Support the IRC with a financial contribution
4. Spread the word
5. Explore additional opportunities

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