Location: Throughout the Sacramento, CA area
Duration: 10 consecutive weeks; Next session to begin in January 2025
Hours: ~2hrs/week/site

SCOPE OF WORK

The IRC’s REP Mentoring program is an after-school program for high school aged refugees. The program takes place on high school campuses throughout the Sacramento region once a week for 90 minutes and run for 10 consecutive weeks. The program provides a safe and healing space for newly arrived youth to be around youth have gone through similar experiences. The curriculum is designed to teach refugee youth the life skills needed to build a strong foundation in the US, such as: US school schedule and grading system, extracurricular opportunities, US holidays and celebration of cultures, how to apply to college amongst other lessons. The program is run through a cohort model and the first 60 minutes is spent completing the lesson and interactive activities as a group. The final 30 minutes of the session interns/volunteers will be assigned a small group of youth to work one-on-one on lessons, goal setting, and overall mentoring. Areas of responsibility may include, but are not limited to the following: 

STUDENT-CENTERED MENTORING 

The volunteer would provide support to staff in leading curriculum and activities. 

  • Meet with a small “Mentor Group” of 2-5 youth for 30 minutes each week to review curriculum 
  • Develop a goal map with each youth in the Mentor Group 
  • Each week review goal maps with youth and connect curriculum to goal maps to create action steps 
  • Support the creation of a safe and healing learning environment for youth to learn and grow in 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

  • Develop abilities to lead a group of at-risk youth in both small and large group settings 
  • Develop problem-solving and classroom management skills
  • Apply goal setting and action step planning with individual youth to progress towards learning and career goals 
  • Experience navigating a multilingual learning environment and exposure to working with EL students 
  • Understand cultural dynamics and stressors newcomers experience and apply strategies to advocate for, and empower, youth

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE OR INTERESTS 
Experience, academic need and/or personal interest in: 

  • Instructing and mentoring of multi-national, -ethnic and –cultural groups of students between 14-18 years of age
  • Supporting new arrivals to better understand the US education system 

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

  • Completion of high school or college in the US and/or currently enrolled in college 
  • Experience designing and delivering student-centered instruction, including experiential assignments and exercises.
  • Willingness and ability to be present at school sites throughout the Sacramento region and commit to the full 10 consecutive week program. 
  • Must provide results from, or be willing to take (IRC to cover cost), a TB skin test completed in the last 5 years- required to be on school-sites. 
  • Must be willing to complete IRC's background check (a $40 cost) as well as a Live Scan- required (IRC to cover cost) per CA AB 506.
  • Must be willing to complete DOJ Live Scans (IRC to cover cost for school districts' Live Scan)- separate scan, required to be on school-sites. 
  • Must commit to the full 10 week program and be available during REP Mentoring times (typically between 3 and 6 PM).
  • This position reports to the Youth Program Coordinator. This is an unpaid position with hours to be completed between 1p-6p, M-Th. 

SAMPLE TIMELINE:

  • Mid-December: Mentors complete TB test (if do not currently have a negative result from the last 5 years that you can provide us) and Live Scans for each district- costs for both will be covered by IRC (separate from the $40 IRC background check). Orientation trainings begin.
  • Prep Week/Early January: Youth REP Mentor Trainings are held. Orientation trainings are wrapped up.
  • 10 Consecutive Week Program: REP begins on school sites!

SPRING 2025 DETAILS COMING SOON! Please inquire!

QUESTIONS? 

Contact Makayla Synak at [email protected].

TO APPLY:

Complete an online application at https://irc-global.my.salesforce-sites.com/volunteer. Please submit a cover letter (including desired position, availability and motivation for applying) and resume. You will be contacted for a phone screening and next steps. All volunteer and internships are part-time, unpaid positions and require clearing a $40 background check (per IRC requirements), as well as a Live Scan background check (cost covered by IRC; completed on-site and required per CA AB 506). 
 
If your school requires any documentation or agreement for a volunteer or internship position, please reach out to [email protected] prior to the phone screening.