Financial Capabilities Intern – Spring 2025

Background:  Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading non-sectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection, and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. The Suburban Washington Refugee Center, where the IRC’s Silver Spring resettlement office is located, has resettled more than 2,000 new refugee arrivals, providing them a fresh start and opportunities to use their greatest resources—their motivation, their skills and their experiences—to become independent and self-sufficient new Americans. Currently, the IRC Silver Spring resettles and/or provides assistance to over 700 refugees and asylees each year. 

Scope of work:  The Financial Capability (FinCap) Program as part of the Economic Empowerment Program supports clients to become financially capable through financial education, coaching and providing low-interest loan products. FinCap services include financial education and counseling that help clients understand banking, budgeting, saving, debt management, building credit and auto purchase. FinCap products includes different various-purpose small-dollar consumer loans. This program aims to empower participants and boost their confidence to manage their personal finances effectively. The Financial Capability Intern will support the program by providing financial coaching and counseling services to program participants.  

Responsibilities: 

• Reach out to new referrals via email and phone to explain the Financial Capability Program services and products, assess their needs and interests, and complete their intakes
• Provide 1:1 financial coaching and counseling including creating and using personal budget, establishing a bank account, savings, debt management
• Provide 1:1 classroom and group financial education on banking, budgeting, and introduction to credit
• Assess client needs and develop individual short-term and long-term financial goals
• Facilitate financial literacy/education workshops for clients
• Collaborate, build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues
• Adhere to IRC policies, particularly those related to confidentiality and client privacy
• Other duties as assigned by IRC staff

Learning Objectives: 

• Intern will learn about personal finance topics and managing personal finance methods
  
• Intern will gain insights into IRC casework and financial literacy programs and the process of refugee and asylee integration within the United States
  
• Intern will learn to communicate effectively with clients across cultures and with interpreters
  
• Intern will learn individual coaching techniques to engage and empower adults
  
• Intern will learn about financial literacy topics, financial systems and how to navigate them effectively
  
• Intern will lean presentation and inter-personal skills

Minimum Qualifications:

• Self-motivated; able to work independently
• Ability to collaborate with fellow interns and staff – this is a team-focused internship
• Excellent communication and writing skills, including cross-cultural communicative skills
• Works well in a fast-paced environment and adapts quickly to change
• Confident in public speaking or interest to develop these skills
• Strong interest in refugee and asylee issues
• Language skills in Amharic, Arabic, Dari, Farsi, French, Kinyarwanda, Spanish, or Swahili are a plus
• Three month minimum.  Required 20+ hours/week.  Preferred 35+ hours/week
• Preference to current students and recent graduates*

TO APPLY
Click Apply Now at the top of this page. Please attach a resume, cover letter and list of references to your application. The deadline to apply is January 6, 2025.

This position is for Spring 2025 and requires a minimum commitment of 4 months and at least 20 hours per week. 35 hours per week preferred.

Spring 2025 Interns are expected to begin their internship term by attending an in-person intern orientation on January 27th, 2025 from 9:15AM-3:30PM. 

We currently offer internships during the following semesters:  

Spring: January – May  Summer: June – August  Fall: September – December

Internships are typically posted 2-3 months prior to the anticipated start date.

Note: Internships with the IRC in Silver Spring are unpaid. Spring 2025 interns may be eligible for per diem reimbursement at the rate of $15/day to offset the costs of food and travel. For information on scholarship opportunities, contact your university or the IRC Silver Spring intern coordinator at Michalina.Kulesza@Rescue.org.

*Candidates applying who are not currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or are outside 12 months of their graduation are welcome to apply. These candidates will be processed as volunteers.  

To protect our clients, the IRC requires all selected applicants to complete background checks. We ask that you make a $30 donation to help us cover the associated costs. Currently, 87% of our funding goes directly to programming to support our clients, and your help to cover this cost will ensure that no funding is directed away from serving our clients. Instructions will be provided after you have been selected to intern or volunteer. 

IRC leading the way from harm to home.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you need assistance in the application or hiring process to accommodate a disability, you may request an accommodation at any time. Please contact Talent Acquisitions at IRC.Recruitment@rescue.org. As required by law, the IRC will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with a known disability.