Refugee Economic Development Intern - Summer 2025

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

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 28 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. Domestically, our 28 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency.

Scope of work: The Economic Empowerment program assists refugees to become economically self-sufficient by providing career development training and financial coaching. Our program assists clients in obtaining education, apprenticeships, jobs, financial coaching and microloans to promote self-sufficiency. The intern will work closely with the Economic Empowerment team to help promote client economic growth and encourage clients to work towards their long-term goals.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with IRC Employment Specialists and Financial Coaches to implement and monitor performance on the Career Development Program
• Teach Advanced Job Readiness Trainings including: introduction to career development, business writing, networking, interview preparation and financial literacy
• Counsel and guide clients through the process of working towards long-term career goals by providing: individual trainings, resume and cover letter preparation, one-on-one job application assistance, etc.
• Provide group and individual trainings aimed at successful workforce integration
• Accompany clients to job preparation activities and interviews; coach clients on interview preparation
• Assist clients in setting up bank accounts, teach financial literacy workshops and assist clients with loan applications
• Assist clients in completing new hire paperwork, employment program documentation and other administrative tasks as needed
• Audit employment program files to ensure documentation adheres to program requirements and update program databases regularly
• Advocate for clients’ rights in the labor market by providing references for clients and meeting with employers to educate them about the benefits of hiring IRC clients
• Other duties as identified by Employment Specialists
  
  

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Intern will learn to create effective professional and job specific resumes and cover letters
• Intern will learn how to cater curricula to fit federal guidelines while remaining responsive to employer/client needs
• Intern will learn to communicate effectively with clients and with interpreters
• Intern will learn individual coaching techniques to engage and empower clients
• Intern will learn effective outreach strategies for building strategic relationships
• Intern will learn how to adapt training curriculum to clients’ needs and how to teach necessary life skills and professional development in a group setting
• Intern will learn about how to successfully and appropriately advocate for clients’ rights and needs in the labor market
• Intern will learn about networking, financial literacy and how to obtain a professional job
• Intern will learn how to implement program safeguards to protect domestic violence survivors, vulnerable populations and to empower women
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Self-motivated; able to work independently
• Ability to collaborate with fellow interns to create/teach trainings. This is a team-focused internship.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Works well in a fast-paced environment and adapts quickly to change
• Confident in public speaking or interest to develop these skills
• Strong interest in refugee and asylee issues as well as in workforce development
• Language skills in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Farsi, French, Kinyarwanda, Spanish, Hindi or Swahili are a plus
• Preference to current students and recent graduates.*
  
  

TO APPLY

Click Apply Now at the top of this page. Please attach a resume, cover letter and list of (at least) three references to your application. The deadline to apply is May 23rd, 2025.

This position is for Summer 2025 and requires a minimum commitment of 3 months and at least 15-30 hours per week. Ability to work at least one day in-person required.

Summer 2025 Interns are expected to begin their internship term by attending an in-person intern orientation on June 9th, 2025 from 9:15AM-3:30PM.

We Currently Offer Internships During The Following Semesters

Spring: January – May

Summer: June– August

Fall: September – December

Internships are typically posted 2-3 months prior to the anticipated start date.

Note: Internships with the IRC in Silver Spring are unpaid. Summer 2025 interns may be eligible for per diem reimbursement at the rate of $15/day to offset the costs of food and travel. For information on scholarship opportunities, contact your university or the IRC Silver Spring Community Engagement Specialist at Raina.Walker@Rescue.org.

• Candidates applying who are not currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or are outside 12 months of their graduation will be processed as volunteers.
  
  

To protect our clients, the IRC requires all selected applicants to complete background checks. We ask that you make a $30 donation to help us cover the associated costs.

Currently, 87% of our funding goes directly to programming to support our clients, and your help to cover this cost will ensure that no funding is directed away from serving our clients. Instructions will be provided after you have been selected to intern or volunteer.

IRC leading the way from harm to home.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you need assistance in the application or hiring process to accommodate a disability, you may request an accommodation at any time. Please contact Talent Acquisitions at IRC.Recruitment@rescue.org. As required by law, the IRC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with a known disability.

Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.