Refugee Barrier Reduction Intern (Fall 2026)

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. SCOPE OF WORK :   IRC   program ming   assists refugees to become   economically   self-sufficient   and supports acclimatization within the United States   by providing   access to casework services .   This role will support the IRC’ s economic empowerment program in effectively reducing the barriers of humanitarian migrants to achieve self-sufficiency in the United States . RESPONSIBILITIES :   Provide   clients with support   in   the completion and submission of   various applications to   assist   the reduction of barriers   to employment in the United States   (childcare voucher applications,   LifeLine   phone applications , etc.) .   Conduct   training   on the topics of public transportation, childcare   options , digital literacy,   job readiness,   and   understanding public benefits   to reduce barriers   to employment .   Participate in supporting clients in Job Application Hours to understand the process of applying for jobs in the United States and   submit   needed employment applications to achieve economic self-sufficiency.   Coordinate with economic empowerment service teams to support clients   over   the course of their service provision at the IRC   in issues of barrier reduction .   Engage respectfully with all clients regardless of background .   Facilitate and conduct client outings (contingent upon office status) to financial institutions,   libraries   and various other venues to support client engagement with   needed   resources .   Other duties as   ident ified   by   F amily   E mployment   S ervices (FES)   Program Coordinator .   LEARNING OBJECTIVES :   Intern will gain insights into   IRC casework and workforce programs and the process of refugee and asylee integration within the United States .   Intern will learn to communicate effectively with clients across cultures and with interpreter s .   Intern will learn individual coaching techniques to engage and empower adults .   QUALIFICATIONS :   Self-motiva ted and able to work independently   Excellent c ommunication and writing skills,   including cros s-cultural communica tion   skills   Works well in a fast-paced environme nt and adapts quickly to change   Strong interest in refugee and asylee   issues.   Language skills in Spanish, Amharic , Dari,   Pashto ,   Haitian-Creole,   French,   Kinyarwanda   or Swahili are a plus   Three-month   minimum.   Requir ed   24 hours/week .  Preferred   full-time.   Preference to curren t students and recent graduates *   TO APPLY Click Apply Now at the top of this page. Please attach a resume, cover letter, and a list of (at least) three references to your application. The deadline to apply is August 21st, 2026. This position is for the Fall semester and requires a minimum commitment of 24 hours per week. Ability to work in-person at the Silver Spring office and at a minimum of 15 hours per week is required. Fall 2026 interns are expected to begin their internship term by attending an in-person intern orientation on September 7th, 2026 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. Fall 2026 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 Coordinator Michalina Kulesza at [email protected] . *Candidates applying not enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program and outside of 12 months from graduation are welcome to apply. These candidates 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 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 PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct . Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding , Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm