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 Women's Resilience Center (WRC) is a safe, collaborative space where the diverse needs of all women+ are respected and where they can seek, share, and obtain information about their rights and their inherent potential for safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and power. It is a responsive, creative space that engages women+ as co-creators and encourages expression, enhanced wellbeing, and community connectedness. (When we use the term women+, this includes women of all ages, all abilities, diverse ethnic and religious affiliation and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities.) 

SCOPE OF WOMEN’S RESILIENCE CENTER INTERN WORK: In this internship, students will have the opportunity to contribute to the WRC through community engagement and outreach as well as by supporting the facilitation of programming.  

RESPONSIBILITIES: Based on intern skills and experience, responsibilities may include a combination of program support, administrative/data support, and direct service: 

Support with outreach to women+ in the IRC community about WRC programs 

Co-facilitate orientations to new WRC members 

Co-facilitate wellness workshops and presentations 

Support our 'Safe Spaces' work to make the WRC a more inclusive place for women+ 

Collaborate with interns, staff, other departments at IRC, and community partners 

Facilitate internal referrals to other IRC programs 

Provide WRC members information about community resources 

Contribute to data monitoring and evaluation of WRC programs 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

Intern will have the opportunity to enhance their facilitation skills 

Intern will expand their experience providing healing centered and culturally humble services 

Intern will participate in weekly Safety & Wellness intern group supervision to enhance collaborative learning

REQUIREMENTS:  

Must be currently enrolled (or a recent graduate) in an Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s program focused on Women’s/Gender Studies, Public Health, Social Work, Art Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy or a related field. 

Must have driver’s license and reliable transportation  

Strong communication and interpersonal skills 

Excellent organization and time-management skills 

Proactive, motivated, and flexible; able to remain calm and adapt within a fast-paced, sometimes unpredictable work environment 

Demonstrated success working and communicating with people of varied English-speaking abilities strongly preferred  

Experience with direct service strongly preferred 

Proficiency in Farsi, Dari, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Pashto or Russian preferred 

This position reports to the Women’s Resilience Center Coordinator. 

Compensation: This is an unpaid internship opportunity.

Working Environment:  

The Women’s Resilience Center Internship is in-person at the San Diego office, remote interns may be considered 

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.