AmeriCorps Career & Culture Guide - Lowell, MA - International Institute of New England

The mission of the International Institute of New England (IINE) is to create opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement and pathways to citizenship. One of the oldest and largest human services organizations for New Americans in the region, IINE serves more than 4,000 people each year in Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire. Our programs include case management, youth and family services, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), employment and skills training, and immigration legal services.

A dynamic, forward-looking, smart, and rapidly growing non-profit organization, we seek well-qualified, mission-driven and solutions-focused candidates who are experts in their respective fields. Successful candidates will join a committed team of professional staff and volunteers who are devoted to welcoming and serving new Americans

Overview
The mission of the New American Integration Program (NAIP) AmeriCorps service program is to provide job readiness training, English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL)/civics instruction, and/or citizenship application assistance. The NAIP believes that refugees and immigrants are among the Commonwealth’s greatest assets and have a right to thrive and feel at home away from home in Massachusetts, without barriers to their success. The success of NAIP is guided by the contributions of members who have been most directly impacted by the injustices facing immigrant communities as well as members who will listen, learn and act as allies. NAIP members learn, serve and grow together while also receiving a modest living allowance, professional development, health + childcare benefits, and an education award upon completion of service. Members will be expected to serve a minimum of 1700 hours between September 5, 2024 and August 12, 2025.

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 NAIP AmeriCorps members through the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, 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 MIRA AmeriCorps 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 of ensuring 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.

MIRA AmeriCorps 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.

Position Title: AmeriCorps Career & Culture Guide

• Department: Community Services
• Reports to: Volunteer Coordinator
• Supervises: N/A
• Status: Full-time; Non-Exempt
• Job Location: Lowell, MA
• Position Format: On-site
• Pay Rate: $14,000 stipend for term of service

Responsibilities

• Attend all corps-wide training, including orientation and monthly member meetings (trainings are largely held online, with some happening at the MIRA Office)
• Complete weekly and monthly reporting requirements to document your AmeriCorps service
• Participate in a program-wide group project to benefit the field of immigrant integration
• 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 MIRA AmeriCorps member on shared project to enhance cultural and workforce orientation, via weekly meetings.
• Occasionally participate in optional MIRA, AmeriCorps, and English for New Bostonian (ENB) events and training
• Lead a final group project to benefit the field of immigrant integration as needed
• 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 as needed
• 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, as needed
• Attend IINE staff/program meetings as required.

Required Skills/Abilities

• A citizen, permanent resident, or national of the United States with legal authorization to work in the U.S.
• 18 years of age at minimum
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Be willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks
• Interest and respect for the racial, cultural, class, linguistic and gender diversity that exists within immigrant and refugee communities
• Able to balance service commitments with personal commitments in a sustainable way
• Strong belief in the power and potential of immigrants and refugees as essential to the social, civic and economic fabric of Massachusetts
• Lived or other experience learning or teaching English, going through the citizenship process, and/or transitioning to the US workforce
• 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
• Able to serve within a team-oriented setting

Education & Experience

• Are fluent in additional language(s), especially Dari, Pashto, 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

Work Environment Conditions

• Requires occasional night work.
• Exposure to bright, overhead office lighting, use of office technology such as laptops, printers, mail machines, and other in-office equipment.
• Frequent interactions with students and colleagues.

Physical Demands

• Occasional lifting, pushing, and pulling materials (boxes, equipment) of 50 pounds or more.
• Continuous sitting (or standing) at a desk for long periods of time.
• Occasional driving to and from IINE offices as needed.
• Frequent bending, reaching overhead, and reaching at or below shoulder level required.

Benefits
What You’ll Get from NAIP:

• Upfront and ongoing training and professional development, including an opportunity to obtain a 120-hour certificate to Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and community interpreting certificate
• Living Stipend of up to $23,000 (approx. $958 every two weeks, before taxes)
• Monthly MBTA pass or equivalent travel reimbursement up to $90
• 24/7 access to ASC’s Member Assistance Program, including unlimited, in the moment telephonic counseling services among other services: https://www.statecommissions.org/americorps-member-assistance-program
• Health insurance: https://corpsnetwork.org/health-insurance/
• Education Award up to $6,345 upon completion of service: https://americorps.gov/members-volunteers/segal-americorps-education-award
• Forbearance on eligible student loans while in service, plus payments for accrued interest upon successful completion of service: https://my.americorps.gov/trust/help/member_portal/forbearance_overview.htm
• Child care assistance for qualifying individuals: http://www.americorpschildcare.com/
• NAIP AmeriCorps branded gear, including a T-shirt and sweatshirt to represent our program at special events and at your host site

Term of Service

• Position Start Date: September 5, 2024
• Position End Date: August 12, 2025
• 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 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.

How to Apply:

• To apply, submit an application, cover letter and resume by July 31, 2024 through IINE’s website: https://iine.org/careers/. IINE encourages applicants to apply as soon as possible and contact us for more information if necessary. Early applications are encouraged as applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until August 23, 2024. Questions about the IIINE-Lowell position can be directed to Kris Honeycutt, at khoneycutt@iine.org.
• Accepted members will be required to undergo a criminal history check.
• NAIP does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, ability, gender, secular preference, sexual orientation, marital status, age, political affiliation or religion, in accordance with the non-discriminated requirements of applicable statuses.
• NAIP and IINE are committed to supporting individuals with disabilities to serve as AmeriCorps members. If you require accommodations for the application; interview process and service, please email naip@miracoalition.org or call 617-350-5480 ext. 218.

Covid-19 Policy

IINE does not require applicants for most positions to show proof of Covid-19. Some federal contracts, however, require IINE staff to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination, and some immigration status adjustments, such as a Green Card, require proof of Covid-19 vaccination as well. Consequently, for some positions, IINE staff may be required to show proof of vaccination, and in others, IINE staff will be supporting clients who are required by law to have proof of vaccination in order to adjust their status in the United States.

US Work Eligibility Notice

This position requires lawful authorization to work in the United States, and IINE is unable to provide visa sponsorship in connection with this.