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The Albany Field Office of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) seeks an intern to coordinate and enhance our English Language Training Program. USCRI Albany offers free, volunteer-taught ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes to newly arriving refugees.

This is an intensive internship designed to organize our English Language Training Program so that our refugee clients are getting the help they need to become self-sufficient in the United States. All refugees are expected by the government to find a job within 4-6 months after their arrival, and no longer receive cash assistance after that time. There are many barriers in finding a job upon arriving in the United States, but English is the most challenging. Thus, this position is a very important one for our refugee clients.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Teacher training and support
o Create instructional materials for Volunteer ESOL Teachers to learn different teaching methods
o Work with new volunteers who are interested in teaching English to refugees. Assess appropriate role, inform of training opportunities, help to locate a classroom space or an individual or family to tutor
o Maintain communication with Volunteer ESOL teachers to ensure program is running smoothly, to discuss students, teaching tactics, and to continually work to form a cohesive program
o Collect attendance sheets from Teachers, and work with Resource Manager to capture necessary data for reporting
• Refugee assessment and placement
o Participate in training in English language assessment methods
o Help place students in appropriate classes
o Collect and create literacy materials for refugee students to take home with them, and be circulated through our library
o Work with Case Managers to ensure clients are attending classes as appropriate
• Program Management
o Set up a multi-level program to serve clients with all levels of English skills, with an emphasis on beginners
o Develop methods to ensure refugees attend appropriate classes
o Ensure current English Class schedule is posted for staff and clients. Create flyers in English and have them translated into appropriate languages.
o Research and pursue funding opportunities to build resources for the ESOL Program at USCRI Albany
• Collaborate closely with Literacy Volunteers, our partner organization who provide some classes and train volunteers to teach English to speakers of other languages.
• The English Language Training Intern is encouraged to teach a weekly class, and be available to substitute for Volunteer ESOL teachers


TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• The internship is unpaid. Obtaining external outside grants and funding is always possible, but up to the individual applicant.
• Interns must commit to a period of three months. Preference will be given to applicants who can commit to six months.
• This internship requires a minimum of 25 hours per week in the office. Preference will be given to applicants who are available for 30-40 hours per week.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED
• Acquiring or having already acquired a Bachelor’s Degree in TESOL, political science, international relations, law/justice, human rights, or related field.
• Must speak, read, and write English fluently and at a university level.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and other Windows applications and have experience with Internet research and databases.
• Must have excellent organizational, time-management, follow-up, interpersonal, and administrative skills.
• Must have excellent telephone manner, research and writing skills, and attention to detail.
• Must be capable of working in a fast-paced, multicultural office environment, take initiative, and be able to handle multiple assignments at once and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to the human rights and general welfare of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants.

DESIRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED
• Students in a TESOL Masters program are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Strong candidates will have previous internship experience in non-governmental or inter-governmental organizations.
• Strong candidates will be fluent in a second language in addition to English. Preference will be given to speakers of: Arabic, Farsi/Dari, Burmese, Karen, Nepali, Spanish, Somali, French, Turkish, and Russian.
• Solid understanding of international relations, immigration law, refugee law, human rights and public interest legal work.
• Experience with victims of torture or torture-related issues.

ABOUT USCRI ALBANY
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is a national voluntary agency that works with the federal government to resettle refugees from all over the world in welcoming communities throughout the United States. USCRI Albany opened its doors in 2005, and now serves hundreds of refugees each year, helping them connect with the resources and services they need to adapt to their new homes in the Capital Region. The largest populations served by the Albany Field Office are from Burma, Iraq, Bhutan, with smaller groups from Afghanistan, the Congo, and Sudan. The Albany field office also has an immigration and asylum services program that serves not only refugee clients and their families, but asylum seekers and immigrants from the wider community as well.
Our mission is to help refugees become self-sufficient, contributing members of our community who can again dream of a hopeful future for themselves and their children. We act to defend human rights, promote self-sufficiency and education, and forge community partnerships through a full range of services and programs.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Jen Barkan, Resource Manager, at info@uscri-albany.org.

Please indicate in your cover letter the time frame and number of hours per week you would be available for the internship.

If you are interested in being considered for more than one internship with USCRI Albany, please indicate this in your cover letter; there is no need to submit multiple applications.