Requisition ID: req52803

Job Title: NJ Children's Legal Services Intern (Unpaid)

Sector: Legal

Employment Category: Intern

Employment Type: Part-Time

Compensation: USD 0.00 - 0.00 Hourly

Location: Elizabeth, NJ USA

Work Arrangement:Hybrid

Job Description

BACKGROUND : International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in more than 40 countries and over 20 U.S. cities, the IRC provides resettlement, education and empowerment support to refugees and displaced people.

SCOPE OF WORK (Children’s Legal Services Intern): The Children’s Legal Services (CLS) program in New Jersey provides legal representation to unaccompanied children. To be eligible for services, unaccompanied children must be under the age of 18 at the time they enter the CLS program, have no immigration status, and, at the same time, have been officially designated as an unaccompanied child by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). We help them understand the immigration systems, prepare them for hearings, evaluate and advise them on the types of immigration applications they can file, and assist them with preparing their filings. Many cases will also involve hearings in New Jersey state court, and we provide preparation and representation for those hearings as well.

This is an unpaid internship but may be pursued for academic credit. If you are planning to obtain academic credit through the position, please indicate this in your cover letter.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Support in building and fostering relationships with clients by being part of client meetings.

• P rovide administrative support to the Children’s Legal Services team, including checking for upcoming court hearings and communicating regularly with clients .

• Perform research on immigration issues, country conditions, etc.

• Assist in tapping into other IRC NJ programs to get additional support for clients when needed, such as educational resources , etc.

  COMMITMENT : 12-16 hours per week for 12 weeks. Hybrid schedule.

  LEARNING OBJECTIVES :

• Intern will gain exposure and understand various immigration processes and reliefs available to unaccompanied children.

• Intern will gain exposure to New Jersey family court and procedures.

• Intern will learn how to manage client cases within established deadlines.

• Intern will develop problem solving skills, client services skills, and intercultural social work skills.

  Qualifications

  PREFERRED :

• Bilingual in Spanish/English highly preferred, but not required.

• Equivalent work experience working with children and or serving low-to-moderate income immigrant populations (including refugees, asylum seekers, etc.)

  REQUIREMENTS :

• Enrollment or recent graduation from an undergraduate or graduate degree program.

• Deep commitment to immigrant rights .

• Motivated, flexible , manages time effectively, and can work independentl y as well as within a team dynamic.

• IRC orientation and full background check (Live Scan & HireRight) required.

  IRC leading the way From Harm t o Home .