Commonwealth Corps Culture & Career Guide Intern

International Institute of New England

Apply via Commonwealth Corps Culture & Career Guide Intern, Boston Link

Apply via Commonwealth Corps Culture & Career Guide Intern, Lowell Link

The mission of the Commonwealth Corps service internship program is to engage Massachusetts residents of all ages, backgrounds, and identities in direct service to strengthen communities, address critical needs, and increase volunteerism. Through hands-on experience, Commonwealth Corps members gain professional skills and valuable knowledge while positively impacting diverse communities in our state.   

 

The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) is a private, nonprofit agency that oversees the program and supports host site partners and members to find success throughout the program year. The two Commonwealth Corps members with the International Institute of New England will serve 10 months in a full-time capacity. They will join a diverse corps of members across Massachusetts who share a common desire to discover their passion and build their network in service to their communities and the Commonwealth. 

 

The mission of IINE is to create opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement and pathways to citizenship. IINE will host two full-time Commonwealth Corps members, one at our downtown Boston location and one at our Lowell location, to serve within our Cultural and Workforce Orientation program. The members will serve as Commonwealth Corps Career and Culture Guides to support IINE staff by enhancing cultural and workforce orientation content and supplementing its delivery while also helping recruit and harness the capacity of 20 volunteers to do the same. Receiving Cultural and Workforce orientation is a key part in the process the ensures refugee integration within American society. Cultural and workforce orientation is the entry point for refugees receiving resettlement services from IINE to access the educational and employment and skills training services that play a critical role in successful job training, job placement, and position advancement. Corps members’ service will be instrumental in setting up those who are currently economically disadvantaged on the road to financial self-sufficiency. 

 

Commonwealth Corps members will be tasked with learning Cultural and Workforce Orientation materials, conducting, and applying research to update content and working with staff and volunteers to plan and deliver effective Cultural and Workforce Orientation sessions. This includes identifying and applying adult learning principles, student-centered learning, strength-based approach, understanding cognitive load and creating a positive learning environment for clients. This is an opportunity for the Corps member to learn about strategies to address common challenges that arise during Cultural and Workforce Orientation and assist clients with better understanding American culture and adaptation. Corps members will also coordinate closely with IINE staff to strategize and implement volunteer recruitment and training, to build a robust volunteer pool to help with orientation and provide 1-on-1 mentoring and English tutoring to clients.  

 

What You’ll Do: 

Essential Responsibilities: 

  • Complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of service, serving through June 22, 2024 

  • Attend a minimum of 6 Commonwealth Corps trainings and service events held by MSA post orientation. 

  • Participate in a minimum of 1 hour of MSA-related activities each week. This may include filling out timesheets, completing a bi-monthly reflection or check-in, or other MSA-related tasks or activities. 

  • Enhance IINE’s cultural and workforce orientation by conducting research and updating training materials. 

  • Support creating digital content to enhance cultural and workforce orientation that clients can access in their native language. 

  • Assist IINE staff to coordinate the delivery of cultural and workforce orientation to refugees, including by coordinating with interpreters, case specialists, and volunteers to ensure timely scheduling of orientation sessions. 

  • Collaborate with Lowell/Boston Commonwealth Corps member on shared project to enhance cultural and workforce orientation, via weekly meetings. 

 Marginal Responsibilities: 

  • Assist IINE volunteer coordinator to recruit new volunteers to help with orientation, to provide 1-on-1 coaching and English tutoring to clients, and other volunteer opportunities. 

  • Help organize activities that are led by volunteers to support client understanding, learning, and engagement of the community such as walking tours, trips to the library, etc. 

  • Attend IINE staff/program meetings as required. 

 Who You Are: 

You must be: 

  • 18 years of age at minimum (member age range is 18 – 70+ years old) 

  • Excited to give back to your community and interested in developing your skills and gaining new professional experiences 

  • Able to balance service internship commitments with personal commitments in a sustainable way 

  • Able to/interest in service in a multicultural environment, specifically in relation to refugee and immigrant direct service 

  • Strongly familiar with interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to listen to individual needs, ask necessary questions, build rapport, and clearly communicate solutions 

  • Able to show professionalism, discretion, and maturity in dealing with confidential information 

  • Have previous experience as a coach or instructor 

  • Able to serve within a team-oriented setting 

It would also be great if you: 

  • Are fluent in additional language(s), especially Pashto/Dari or Haitian Creole 

  • Are familiar with populations served by IINE and with issues pertinent to immigrants and refugees 

  • Have empathy, patience, and open-mindedness to understand disparate needs, barriers, and goals of clients from diverse backgrounds and who are non-native English speakers 

  • Are interested to learn and grow personally and professionally 

  • Have basic computer literacy, including Microsoft Office and Internet applications  

What You’ll Get: 

  • Stipend of $1,200 semi-monthly while in service, up to $25,200, minus taxes and withholdings;  

  • Health insurance (individual coverage only); 

  • Member assistance program, including unlimited, confidential, 24/7, phone counseling services and up to three free, in-person counseling sessions, plus a lot more; 

  • Completion award of up to $4,000 upon successful completion of service, minus taxes and withholdings; 

  • Reimbursement for outside training or professional development opportunities relevant to member’s service and/or goals (Up to $100; Dependent on approval from MSA) 

  • Housing, food, and transportation stipend of $500/month to offset costs (from IINE); 

  • Extensive training from MSA with a diversity, equity and inclusion focus and other professional development opportunities; 

  • Limited reimbursement for travel to Corps-wide MSA-sponsored activities; 

  • Internet reimbursement up to $50/month while required to complete some service from home; 

  • Limited travel reimbursement from their host site for certain service-related travel away from their usual service location, according to that agency's policies; 

  • Mental Health/Personal Day once per month counting towards 8hrs 

  • The opportunity for at least 10 days of planned absences (may include holidays, does not count towards hours requirement). 

Please note that receipt of these stipends/benefits may impact an individual’s eligibility for certain public benefits. 

Term of Service: 

  • Position Start Date: August 21, 2023 

  • Position End Date: June 22, 2024 

  • Service commitment 40 hours per week. IINE is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Service members will determine their schedules in coordination with their supervisor, so that they serve 38-40 hours per week. Members should serve in-person with the option to serve remotely 1 day per week. Members may be asked to serve during evening hours twice per week, with advance notice, in coordination with their supervisor and assigned service duties.

Organization
International Institute of New England
Type
Internship
Job Posting Expires On
07/31/2023