BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. The IRC in Atlanta office was established in 1979 and has resettled over 27,000 refugees from 50 countries into the Greater Atlanta area. As the largest refugee resettlement agency in Georgia, the IRC in Atlanta resettles an average of 1,000 refugees into Georgia annually and provides additional services and assistance to another 2,500 refugees and asylees.
SCOPE OF IMMIGRATION ADMINISTRATION INTERN WORK: The International Rescue Committee’s Resettlement office in Atlanta provides its clients with assistance in filing immigration applications, which will allow refugees and newly-approved asylees to travel, become permanent residents and then citizens of the United States.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Process correspondence from CIS in a timely manner, notify clients of correspondence received and place notices in files
- Assist immigration Legal Assistants and representatives to maintain accurate and up-to-date files and detailed case notes on immigration services to clients
- Create and print labels for files
- Assist immigration Legal Assistants and representatives in making copies and creating new files
- Assist in Citizenship Workshops
- Complete change of address forms with CIS
- Help maintain the filing system for immigration petitions filed with IRC in Atlanta
- Other duties as needed and assigned by immigration Legal Assistants and representatives
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Students will develop an enhanced professional skill set, interact with other inters, clients and supervisors remotely and contribute to projects while working in the comfort of their own space.
- Students will learn data collection and data management methods for program development and reporting.
- Students will gain knowledge of USCIS administrative procedures by processing receipts and correspondence from USCIS.
- Student will gain knowledge of the types of immigration benefits available to refugees and asylees and the steps involved in applying for these benefits.
Qualifications
- Minimum of virtual 15 hours a week for a period of three months
- Fluency in Spanish desired
- Excellent communication and organizational skills;
- Attention to detail and procedure;
- Ability to work independently and take initiative;
- Work or volunteer experience with foreign populations, especially African or Middle and Near Eastern;
- Knowledge of one or two foreign languages such as Russian, Arabic, Farsi, or French is beneficial, but not required;
- Computer literacy, preferably with PC systems; willing to work remotely, have personal computer and working space.
- Knowledge of refugee immigration beneficial, but not required.
Check with your Internship Coordinator BEFORE accepting to determine how you might do this internship for credit.
For more information, please contact us at VolunteerATL@Rescue.org. To learn more about our organization, please visit the IRC website at www.Rescue.org/Atlanta