DESCRIPTION

The Refugee Resettlement Volunteer works with the IRC in San Diego staff to resettle newly arrived refugee families in San Diego. The Resettlement Department consists of two programs: (1) Reception and Placement and (2) Afghan Integration Resettlement Services. 

The department needs committed volunteers to support the department on an ongoing basis as it prepares to support an estimated 525 new refugee and Special Immigrant Visa Holder arrivals over the next year. Please join us in our efforts to make San Diego a safe and welcoming community for all by providing support at a critical moment in the lives of our clients. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

The position will be assigned to one of the following focus areas, depending on the needs of the department:

  1. Direct Service Support (in-person, El Cajon Office): Provide ongoing support to clients throughout their first 90 in the United States. Volunteers will receive training and guidance as they work with caseworkers to navigate case management provided to clients to ensure a smooth transition into life in San Diego during their first three months of arrival. This is a fantastic opportunity to support families during their greatest need. Support might include assisting refugee clients with making appointments with different providers (school, medical, other social services), client paperwork support, collecting documents from clients, building case files for case workers, organizing case files, mentoring a family new to the area, and other related tasks when needed.
  2. Relocation Support (on-call): Assist the housing coordinators and caseworkers with moving refugee families into their new homes in San Diego. Volunteers will have the opportunity to help with the pick-up, drop-off, and set-up of furniture for clients. This support will require flexible volunteer hours on an as-needed and on-call basis. Because refugee arrivals to San Diego happen with short notice, this position is critical to provide the IRC and refugee families with the support they need to feel at home. This support will require the ability to move 30+ pounds.

  

REQUIREMENTS

  • Must be 18 years or older and able to lift at least 30 pounds.
  • Possess a valid driver's license, undergo a background check, attend moving-specific training, and be comfortable driving a moving van. 
  • Adhere to a consistent schedule and commit a minimum of 10 hours of availability per week.
  • Preference for fluency in another language such as Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, Ukrainian, or Russian.
  • Adhere to IRC Volunteer and workplace policies, including confidentiality policies.
  • Ability to work in an office setting that fluctuates wildly in pace and volume. 
  • Interest in working with persons from all cultural backgrounds. 
  • Comfort greeting in-person and conversing on the phone with individuals who might speak limited English. 
  • Adequately follow instructions and see an assignment to completion, asking questions when necessary.
  • Record hours and submit a completed time sheet at the end of each month via the IRC's online Volunteer Dashboard.
  • Be culturally sensitive and respectful of diverse backgrounds, self-motivated and comfortable working with little supervision, and able to handle sensitive client information. Volunteers should be welcoming and eager newly arrived-arrived refugees to settle into the San Diego community. 

 

APPLY BY CLICKING HYPERLINK HERE 

If you are interested in volunteering and submitting an application, please (1) select that you are applying to the San Diego office, (2) proceed to "Interests and Questions," (3) fill out "Please enter the top three positions that interest you," and (4) indicate "Refugee Resettlement Volunteer" to be considered.

Questions? Reach out to [email protected]