Instructional Youth Design Opportunity (Winter & Spring)

LOCATION: Elizabeth, New Jersey IN PERSON 

START DATE: JANUARY 5, 2026 

DURATION: JUNE 26, 2026 

POSITION REPORTS TO: Youth Instructional Design Specialist

DETAILS:15-25 hrs/wk; IN PERSON 

SCOPE OF WORK: The goal of the youth programs is to help recently arrived refugee and 

immigrant children, and youth adapt successfully to elementary, middle, and high schools and prepare for college, career, and beyond while meeting their short and long-term educational needs and supporting refugee youth’s social-emotional well-being and English language development.

RESPONSIBILITIES: The Youth Education Programs support refugee and immigrant youth, their families, and their schools with the school adjustment process and provide assistance with a variety of support services. The Instructional Design for Youth Intern will assist the Youth Instructional Design Specialist with programming activities, including the Empower Tutoring and the Newcomer Youth Summer Academy by developing curriculum design and academic resource toolkits, and providing related education support-related services to youth and their families as needed. 

Under the supervision of and with the support from the Youth Instructional Design Specialist, Intern will:  

• Develop and administer pre-ELP (English Language Proficiency) assessments, collect, record, and organize data for report writing purposes.
• Organize assessment data to develop staff training, educator toolkits, and curriculum design. 
• Assess and monitor students’ linguistic and social-emotional support needs.
• Participate in staff development and team meetings, support hours, and observation sessions for Empower Tutoring and Newcomer Youth Summer Academy Programs. 
• Assist in maintaining comprehensive case notes on a shared digital platform for curriculum development and refinement purposes.
• Complete related tasks and responsibilities assigned by the Youth Instructional Design Specialist. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

1. The intern will learn about refugee resettlement issues and processes.
2. The intern will develop curriculum design and implementation skills to effectively manage educational programs.
3. The intern will develop culturally responsive practice skills.

REQUIREMENTS: 

• Must be a US citizen or have US work authorization. 
• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in education, ESOL, instructional design, social work, public health, or a related field.
• 1+ years experience working with children and youth English Language Learners (ELL), preferably in the context of educational and social programs.
• Experience with refugee and/or immigrant populations is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in a second language highly preferred (i.e., Arabic, Spanish, Dari, Pashto, Farsi, Creole, French, and Kiswahili)
• TESOL/TEFL certificate or working towards certificate (or equivalent) is preferred. 

SKILLS: 

• Show empathy, patience, cooperation, and interpersonal skills while working as a team and working with clients. 
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while demonstrating strong written and verbal communication skills. 
• Excellent problem-solving skills combined with the proven ability to multi-task, prioritize duties, and manage time effectively. 
• Availability to commit 15-25 hours a week (3 days in person) from January to June.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook); ability to use the internet and other digital tools for data entry, research, and problem-solving purposes.