Summer 2025: Microenterprise Intern *Unpaid

IRC BACKGROUND: Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading organization providing relief, protection, and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression throughout the U.S. IRC in San Diego has resettled over 31,000 refugees to San Diego County over the past 50 years and provides numerous program services. In San Diego, the IRC opened its doors in 1975 and has grown to serve approximately 7,000 refugee and immigrant individuals from 115 countries of origin each year through 5 different departments.    

The IRC in San Diego has provided training, technical assistance, and loans to refugee and low-income entrepreneurs for nearly 15 years. 

SCOPE OF INTERN WORK:  As part of the Microenterprise program, IRC’s In-Home Childcare Licensing Program offers refugees the opportunity to become a licensed in-home family service provider. Through a three-week comprehensive program, participants gain the necessary knowledge and skills in order to become licensed and start a family childcare business. Participants learn about business basics such as book keeping, financial management and marketing, how to submit the license, as well as health, nutrition, and other childcare topics. 

The Microenterprise Program Intern will provide both administrative and direct service support to the in-home childcare licensing program. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Assist with intake and support of walk-in clients 

• Provide assistance in completing business pan for in-home child care entrepreneurs  

• Support the business counselor in the preparation of applications for the childcare license 

• Assist with flyer and/or business plan, in general in enhance marketing strategies   

• Conduct quality assurance tasks including self-audits 

• Provide assistance monitoring the childcare program by conducting follow up assessments and gathering data on outcomes  

• Enter data and track outcomes through the IRC's Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) and Neoserra database 

• Provide support facilitating and coordination trainings  

• Conduct outreach and participate in public events as needed 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  

1. Gain insight into the implementation of a microenterprise program and the workings of serving in-home family childcare providers (FCP). 

2. Learn about the needs of refugee childcare entrepreneurs. 

3. Learn how microenterprise programs track outcomes and measure success. 

REQUIREMENTS:  

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or certificate program 

• Bachelor's degree in a related discipline (business, economics, finance, social sciences or outstanding current undergraduate pursuing a relevant degree.) 

• Experience with both administrative work and direct service with diverse populations 

• Excellent organization skills, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to effectively collaborate 

• English fluency required, proficiency in a refugee language (Arabic, Farsi, Swahili) a plus 

This position reports to the Microenterprise Program Supervisor  

 Compensation: This is an unpaid internship opportunity.

 Working Environment:

• The Microenterprise Internship is remote, with a few possible in-person hours.   

• San Diego Office hours are scheduled Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm PST. Selected interns can choose their hours based on this window of availability.