Opportunities From: Union College Community Connections

What is USCRI?:

We believe that our American character is based on fundamental values that embrace the newcomer with equal rights and equal opportunity. In return, America prospers—built by those who have placed their bets on the idea of America, e pluribus unum ("from many, one").

Project Description: 

Refugee Youth Mentors:

We are currently looking for mentors for our Making A Connection (MAC) refugee youth mentoring program. This program matches community members with refugee youth ages 15-24 to help them achieve social and educational/vocational goals. We are seeking dedicated adults to serve as a positive role model for their mentee. If you’re interested in helping, please contact Jillian at jhanlin@uscrimail.org

 Please respond here to this need to keep track of your hours 

What is USCRI?

We believe that our American character is based on fundamental values that embrace the newcomer with equal rights and equal opportunity. In return, America prospers—built by those who have placed their bets on the idea of America, e pluribus unum ("from many, one").

Project Description:  

ESL Geek Squad: 

We are looking for tech-savvy volunteers to help newly arrived refugees navigate the world of remote work. Volunteers will teach clients how to effectively use technology platforms and help them troubleshoot tech issues for work and school, helping with Zoom and other programs. If you’re good with technology and interested in helping, please contact Jillian at jhanlin@uscrimail.org

 

Please respond to this need to keep track of your volunteer hours 

 

 

What is USCRI?:

We believe that our American character is based on fundamental values that embrace the newcomer with equal rights and equal opportunity. In return, America prospers—built by those who have placed their bets on the idea of America, e pluribus unum ("from many, one").

Project Description:

Refugee Family Mentor:

We are looking for people to serve as family mentors for newly arrived refugee families. Family mentors help with everyday activities such as transportation, shopping and English language practice. Mentors act as an important resource to families that need assistance navigating their new life in the US. If you’re interested in helping, please contact Jillian at jhanlin@uscrimail.org

 Please respond to this need to keep track of your volunteer hours 

 

PROGRAM SUPPORT VOLUNTEER   USCRI Albany seeks passionate, organized, dedicated individuals to serve as student volunteers in our office year-round. Diverse positions are available assisting with refugee services, immigration legal services, accounting, and development/management functions. Volunteers must commit to a minimum of 12 weeks, 12-20 hours a week during the academic year, 25-40 hours a week in the summer.   Volunteering with USCRI Albany is rewarding and challenging. USCRI Albany volunteers work hard and contribute to our agency in significant ways, and build skills that they take with them to support success in a variety of career paths. Successful past volunteers have worked with USCRI during their undergraduate and graduate study. USCRI Albany volunteers have gone on to graduate and post-graduate programs; service in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and similar programs; and professional work in the nonprofit, government, and business sectors.    Volunteers have access to a range of benefits during their time at USCRI Albany, including on-the-job learning opportunities and professional development resources. USCRI Albany volunteers can expect to do the following:   •      Develop a rich understanding of refugees and refugee resettlement. •      Experience immersion in the daily operations in the field office of a national non-profit organization with a century of experience serving immigrants and refugees across the United States and internationally. •      Work with staff, clients, and peers from around the world. •         ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES •      All volunteer positions are unpaid. Applicants are responsible for all costs of living. •      Student volunteers must commit to a minimum of 12 weeks, 12-20 hours a week during the academic year, 25-40 hours a week in the summer. Preference is given to applicants who can make a commitment beyond the minimum. •      Volunteers must complete hours within the business week, Mon-Fri 9:00-5:00. Each volunteer position at USCRI Albany is a unique experience and has a balance of tasks. At the same time, there are common experiences that volunteers can expect. • Direct Client Interaction. Refugee clients are in our office every day, and all volunteers will have the opportunity to practice cross-cultural communication skills through client interaction. Most volunteers will have a weekly shift at our Front Desk, welcoming and assisting clients.  While it is wonderful that many of our volunteer applicants want experience working with refugee populations, it is important to note that volunteer positions with USCRI Albany are not an opportunity to get to know refugees on a personal level. Volunteers assist with the delivery of services to refugees as clients of USCRI, maintaining professional boundaries at all times. • Administrative Work. All volunteers and all staff collaborate in the necessary tasks of documenting the services we provide to clients. No position is solely administrative, but all volunteers contribute to tasks including filing, copying, faxing, and data entry. USCRI Albany seeks volunteers who understand the importance of accurate records and are willing to give their full attention to necessary administrative tasks. • Housing Support. A major task of refugee resettlement organizations is preparing apartments for new arrivals, including moving in furniture, kitchen and bathroom items, and an initial supply of food staples. Some positions focus more on housing support; during busy weeks, all volunteers with the physical ability to do so are asked to assist with housing preparation. • Representing USCRI to the broader community. All volunteers will interact with the broader community, including other volunteers, landlords, employers, and partner agencies. Everyone is expected to clearly communicate the mission and services of USCRI Albany and to address community members’ questions with patience and respect. • Managing time and meeting deadlines. All volunteers are expected to come prepared to keep track of and meet multiple deadlines, from urgent tasks to multi-week projects.     AVAILABLE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS:   Refugee Services USCRI Albany assists recently-arrived refugees with housing; cultural adjustment; accessing healthcare, education, and social services; employment preparation and placement; and building self-sufficiency. Interns work closely with staff, gaining experience with service coordination, case file management, and cross-cultural interactions. Approximately 6-8 volunteer positions are available in the area of Refugee Services. Applicants should indicate general interest in this area, and may be asked for any preference regarding a specific focus, which may include employment, housing, health, or other issue areas.   Immigration Legal Services USCRI Albany’s Immigration Legal Services team includes a Staff Attorney and a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Accredited Representative who provide legal advice and representation to refugees and immigrants who wish to obtain green cards and/or travel documents, or to apply to bring family members to the US. Immigration Legal Services Volunteers may assist staff with tasks such as filing, research, and arranging and taking notes in consultations. One position available, must have impeccable attention to detail. Legal background preferred but not required.   Accounting Assist staff with accounting tasks related to refugee services, focus on tracking expenditures in digital and hard copy file systems. One position available, must have impeccable attention to detail.   Development & Non-Profit Management Work closely with Field Office Director and other staff on projects related to office administration, programs and community relations.     REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS •      Must speak, read, and write English fluently and at a university level. •      Must demonstrate professional communication skills on telephone, in person, and in email correspondence. •      Must be proficient in basic Windows applications including Microsoft Word and Excel, and have experience with internet research. •      Must have excellent organizational, time-management, follow-up, and administrative skills with a strong attention to detail. •      Must be capable of working in a fast-paced, multicultural office environment, take initiative, and be able to handle multiple assignments at once and meet deadlines. •      Commitment to the human rights and general welfare of refugees and immigrants. Eligible candidates must agree to a background check, which is performed by USCRI Headquarters. If the position involves driving clients to appointments, candidates must also provide proof of a valid driver’s license and car insurance. Required paperwork includes: background check authorization form; confidentiality agreement; insurance verification form; assumption of risk, waiver, and release of liability; harassment and non-retaliation policies; and photo release.

ESL Tutors help teach adult refugees basic English and Civics. ESL tutors provide classroom and/or one-on-one support. Required commitment of at least 1-2 hours per week for 6 months.

Program Description

Making A Connection (MAC) is a new mentorship program of USCRI Albany aimed at matching vulnerable refugee youth ages 15-24 with positive adult volunteer mentors.

 

Volunteer mentors will help mentees identify and work towards at least one social and educational or vocational goal. Mentors and mentees will meet at least twice a month: once as a group for a 2-hour session at the USCRI Albany office, and once individually for a 2-hour session at a public location convenient to the mentor and mentee. In addition, the MAC Program Coordinator will organize 3-4 field trips a year to engage youth in positive social activities and expose them to new experiences and opportunities.

 

Mentees

In its first year, The MAC program will serve 25 refugee youth ages 15-24. Eligible participants are those who have been in the U.S. for five years or less, with priority given to those who have been here less than one year. Mentees come from Burma, Afghanistan, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Iraq, Nepal, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and other countries.

 

Mentors

Mentors must commit to one year of volunteering. Weekly hours will vary, though mentors can expect to spend 4-6 hours per month with their mentee. While everyone who is interested in becoming a mentor is encouraged to apply, favored candidates will be people who are immigrants themselves, are willing to learn about other cultures, speak the same language(s) as potential mentees, have prior experience or interest in refugee populations, and are empathetic.

 

 

 

 

 

For more information and to apply to become a mentor, please contact:

Sandon Mims

Volunteer Coordinator

smims@uscrimail.org

(518) 459 – 1790 ext. 8021

Want to help newly arrived refugees navigate the healthcare system? 

Patient Navigator Volunteer’s (PNV's) perform a vital role at USCRI-Albany by transporting refugee families to important medical and other appointments.

In general, most PNV's sign-up for one or two trips per week, or every other week. All PNV trips are done weekdays during business hours, with many involving taking refugees to Refugee Health Assessment (RHA) appointments. The RHA process is a very comprehensive medical screening conducted within the first 90 days of a refugee's arrival.  It is done at either St. Peter's or Whitney Young, and involves three separate appointments. 

Other PNV trips involve taking clients who have on-going medical issues to their appointments.  These are generally scheduled through Medical Coordination Program coordinator or our "Services to Older Refugees Program".    

Finally, our clients also have miscellaneous appointments that require transportation:  These can involve taking newly-arrived refugees to the Social Security Administration office in Albany, taking parents & their children to WIC program appointments at Whitney Young, etc.  

We look forward to you joining our volunteer team! 

Front Desk Volunteers welcome and assist clients as they arrive in the office; answer, screen and forward incoming calls and voice messages; and perform various other administrative tasks. This position is a good fit for people with administrative experience and experience communicating with individuals with Limited English Proficiency. Required commitment of at least 3 hours per week for 6 months. Weekdays during business hours.

Housing Helpers set-up apartments for new refugee arrivals, shop for household goods, and organize donations. Volunteers are alerted via email approximately one week prior to a new family’s arrival with the date and time of the set-up; they can sign-up for as many or as few shifts as desired. Groups are encouraged to apply. Some heavy lifting required. Weekdays during business hours.