Supportive Housing Intern

Supportive Housing Intern - UNPAID

The International Rescue Committee (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, the IRC is at work today in more than 40 countries and in 24 U.S. cities. The IRC's U.S. Programs (USP) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable migrants to survive and thrive in America. USP serves more than 40,000 individuals each year, including thousands of newly arrived refugees, through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at achieving outcomes in five impact areas: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education, and Power. The IRC works with government bodies, civil society actors and local volunteers to help refugees, asylees and those with Special Immigrant Visas translate their past experiences into assets that are valuable to their new communities. In Denver and other offices across the country, the IRC helps refugees and asylees to rebuild their lives through services and programs that assist with initial resettlement through longer-term integration. Presently, these services are case management, employment services, psychosocial support, family stabilization, health coordination, health insurance literacy, family reunification and programs for children and youth. The Denver office also has a legal services program to provide pro bono legal representation to survivors of torture, as well as direct legal services for family-based immigration.

The Supportive Housing Program Intern will assist in implementing successful programming in IRC's Supportive Housing community for refugees. This project addresses housing insecurity for refugee households with multiple intersecting vulnerabilities through a combination of affordable housing and wraparound services for participants. The Supportive Housing Intern will work directly with refugee clients, IRC staff, volunteers, and community partners to promote effective supportive services for clients. Their work will include direct service with a refugee population and development of programs that support the wellbeing and integration of participants. The intern may also assist with projects that support housing stability for at-risk refugee clients residing outside the supportive housing program.

Length of Service: 3-4 months. 1-semester minimum, full academic year available.

Compensation: This is an unpaid internship.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct home visits with individual clients with access to community-based resources that support their personal priorities and needs.
• Maintain a small case load to enhance IRC casework support for clients with complex barriers as they set goals and work toward self-sufficient household management.
• Participate in services that increase affordable housing access, resource navigation, and housing education for refugee clients within and outside of the Supportive Housing program.
• Document all services provided to clients and other administrative tasks.
• Collect data and participant feedback in accordance with program evaluation requirements.
• Develop resources and support partnerships and programs for supportive housing participants.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop the skills of listening for understanding and motivational interviewing.
• Gain experience working with and coaching a diverse refugee population.
• Learn about challenges navigating housing and accessing resources in Denver for refugee populations.
• Interns will acquire detailed knowledge about supportive housing for a refugee population, providing resettlement and integration services in a rapidly changing time, and public benefits available for refugees and asylees.
• Gain experience case noting using Efforts to Outcome (ETO) and Colorado Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)