Refugee Cultural Orientation Intern, Spring 2025

SCOPE OF INTERN SERVICE: 

The Cultural Orientation (CO) program is part of the IRC’s holistic and integrated approach to resettlement, providing training to newly arrived refugees to foster a better understanding of their new environment and the services available to them in the Louisville area. The Spring 2025 Cultural Orientation Intern works in close coordination with the Resettlement Manager to design, develop, and deliver 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. 

Please note this is an unpaid internship position. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Intern will develop an understanding of the local resources available to refugee and immigrant clients in the Louisville area. 
• Intern will deepen their understanding of the unique barriers, challenges, and assets of the refugee and immigrant communities.
• Intern will gain experience in teaching, program coordination, and curriculum design.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide equal treatment to all client groups in accordance with the agency's commitment to the dignity of all persons.
• Coordinate with staff and clients to schedule Cultural Orientation.
• Support in the facilitation of Cultural Orientation to clients.
• Schedule interpreters for Cultural Orientation classes as needed.
• Support in the administration of Cultural Orientation assessments.
• Assist resettlement staff in development of revised curriculum for Cultural Orientation.
• Other duties as assigned. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a current undergraduate student, graduate student, or less than 12 months past graduation.
• Access to a personal vehicle/reliable transportation; IRC Louisville cannot support securing transportation or housing for interns.  
• Candidates must be a U.S. citizen or must have active and compliant visas and work authorization status in the United States (the IRC must not be represented as a sponsor or host in any application, filing, or other context for an intern).
• Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM). 
• Ability to handle sensitive client information confidentially.
• Strong intercultural communication skills, including demonstrated ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and across language barriers.
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team
• Previous experience working with vulnerable populations preferred, but not required.
• Education and/or experience working in social work/social services preferred, but not required. 
• Comfortable with Microsoft Excel and willingness to learn to use new software for data entry.
• Adherence to IRC volunteer/intern and workplace policies
• Fluency/proficiency in English, both spoken and written, are required; proficiency in language(s) spoken by client group is desired, but not required.

TRAINING & GUIDANCE

• In-depth training will be provided for interns to understand IRC programming and the various needs of clients accessing IRC services. Interns will receive training on IRC’s federal R&P and APA service agreements and their programmatic requirements for resettlement services. 
• Interns with client languages who could serve as an interpreter will receive guidance on policies when interpreting. Other activity specific training will be provided as needed. 
• Flexibility, initiative, and a desire to collaborate are essential qualities for this intern opportunity. A high-level of confidentiality is required when working with IRC clients.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.