TITLE: Health & Wellness Program Intern

LOCATION: Des Moines, IA                   

START DATE: September 2024

DURATION: 10-12 weeks, Minimum of 10 hours per week.

BACKGROUND: Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee is a leading, non-sectarian, non-profit organization providing emergency relief, protection, rehabilitation assistance, resettlement services, and advocacy for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict.  Domestically, our 29 offices across the U.S. ensure new arrivals have food, shelter, and clothing, and work with refugees to help them gain self-sufficiency.  

 

The Des Moines, IA office was opened in July of 2022, serving more than 200 refugees in its first year. Our operations expanded to Iowa City with our office opening in February 2024.The Health and Wellness Coordinator supports clients in navigating complex medical and benefits systems, and designs and connects clients to programs and resources that improve their quality of life.

 

SCOPE OF INTERN WORK:

Under the supervision of the Health & Wellness Coordinator, the intern will work on identifying resources and relationships with agencies in the community that can expand offerings, activities, and resources for IRC client youth. They will also work with interdisciplinary individuals from different disciplines, such as doctors, nutritionists, fitness trainers, psychologists, or social workers, to support implementing health and wellness initiatives.  

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Identify free extracurricular, engaging activities and programs in the community that support refugee children and families. 
  • Create databases or lists of found resources and activities that can be easily disseminated with clients and direct service professionals. 
  • Identify communication methods and practices for assessing interests and priorities among youth and families. 
  • Create relationships with school affiliates to disseminate lists and create intentional processes for referrals to programs. 
  • Opportunity to work with other caseworkers and learn different programs. 

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Gain exposure to interacting with diverse communities, cultures, and backgrounds.
  • Deepen understanding of the refugee and immigrant communities' unique barriers, challenges, and assets.
  • Develop skills related to building a community network of connections and resources.
  • Identifying ways to consolidate information and disseminate it to broad audiences.
  • Learning to create and implement processes intended for client impact.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

  • ​​Pursuing a degree in: Social Work, Public Health, Kinesiology and Health, Nutrition, Medicine, Pre-PA, Pre-Dental, Sociology, Anthropology, Global Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, Education, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, International Relations, or other relevant field.​ 
  • Experience and moderate efficiency with Microsoft products.
  • Ability to work efficiently and accurately under multiple demands and frequent interruptions.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills.
  • Interpersonal skills.

This is an unpaid volunteer position with an opportunity for reimbursement for using a personal vehicle.

How to apply 

Go to https://irc-global.my.salesforce-sites.com/volunteer and complete the application. If you need assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to [email protected]. Once your application is received, a staff member will contact you for a brief interview. You will then receive a link to complete a background check. Finally, you will be contacted to attend a required volunteer training. 

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.