Summer Internship Opportunity
Flexible, 2013
15 - 30 hours/week
Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights helps people living in poverty or in danger to improve their lives and realize their human rights. For 125 years, Heartland Alliance has provided hope, opportunity, and solutions—through both services and advocacy. Our work spans across four key areas [housing, health care, legal protections, and economic opportunity], creating paths from crisis to stability and on to success.
Heartland's Refugee Youth & Family Services provides support to refugee families and their children through cultural orientation, academic support, social activities and prevention education. It also provides services designed to integrate refugee youth into the mainstream community. RICS annually resettles more than 150 individuals in Chicago from places like Bhutan, Burma, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, & Uzbekistan. RICS serves an additional 500 refugees through a variety of services including cultural orientation, adjustment counseling, employment, job readiness and placement services, as well as medical case management, family literacy, and English language training for adults.
There are two summer internship opportunities with Family Literacy program, serving young refugee children and their families who participate in our programming. The Family Literacy Program provides childcare Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 12:30 PM, parenting workshops, and family literacy activities. Summer Interns will work under the guidance and supervision of a Child Development Specialist.
Responsibilities:
- Assist in childcare classroom 2-3 days/week: participate in early education activities; maintain an environment that is supportive and sensitive to the varying emotional needs of children. Report activities and observation of behavior in daily log.
- Assist in maintaining record of children's attendance, as well as monthly progress reports on school readiness and social-emotional development
- Accompany program on occasional field trips, assist with family literacy activities and monthly library trips
- Database entry as needed. Helping with other projects, reports, and administrative tasks as necessary.
Qualifications:
- Excellent communication and organizational skills. Patience and flexibility.
- Completed or pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field
- At least 2 years experience working with young children
- Experience working with families of diverse socio-cultural backgrounds
- Interest in working with refugees in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic environment.
- At least 2 & ½ months availability
