Refugee Walk-In Service Intern (Spring 2027)

International Rescue Committee•Silver Spring, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Refugee Walk-In Service Intern supports the Walk-In Services team, the first point of contact for nearly 2,000 new walk-in clients visiting the IRC in Silver Spring each year. The team works with humanitarian immigrants of varying statuses resettling in the DC Metro area to help them access internal programs and external benefits and resources in a timely manner. The intern is trained and supervised by an Intake Specialist or the Intake Coordinator. This is an unpaid Spring 2027 internship requiring at least 24 hours per week, a three-month commitment, and three full working days per week. The intern must work in person at the Silver Spring office. Spring 2027 interns are expected to attend in-person orientation on January 25, 2027, from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eligible interns may receive per diem reimbursement of $15 per day toward food and travel costs. Selected applicants must complete a background check and are asked to contribute $30 toward its associated costs. Applicants who are not enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program and are more than 12 months from graduation may apply and will be processed as volunteers.

Requirements

Be a current undergraduate or graduate student, or have graduated within the past 12 months; applicants outside these criteria may apply as volunteers.
Commit to at least 24 hours per week, three full working days per week, and a minimum three-month term.
Work in person at the Silver Spring office.
Have proficient digital literacy, including familiarity with MS Excel, Outlook, and Word, and the ability to learn new software and tasks.
Be organized and attentive to detail.
Be able to work independently and multitask.
Have strong verbal and written communication skills.
Have an interest in working with humanitarian immigrants.
Have the ability to complete a background check; selected applicants are asked to make a $30 donation toward associated costs.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in French, Spanish, Amharic, or another language spoken by the client base.
Knowledge of, or interest in learning about, public benefits and other community resources.

Responsibilities

Conduct in-person screenings to assess clients' eligibility for referrals to IRC programs, including casework, employment, and immigration services, and to external public benefits and resources.
Complete program enrollment forms with clients, explain their rights and responsibilities, and ensure required documentation is scanned and electronically filed.
Assist clients with applications for eligible public benefits, including cash assistance and medical insurance.
Make follow-up calls to prospective clients inquiring about IRC services, provide walk-in day information, reschedule appointments, and respond to general inquiries.
Assist with scheduling contract interpreters for appointments.
Track service provision through electronic data entry and organize required client documentation.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Walk-In Services team.