VOCA TS – Therapeutic Services MSW Intern (Unpaid)

OVERVIEW:

The Safety & Wellness team provides intensive case management to refugees, survivors of torture, victims of crime, victims of human trafficking and asylum-seeking families living in Arizona. The Therapeutic Services intern will work closely with the Clinical Managers, Caseworkers, and Wellness Team to provide culturally competent, comprehensive services to refugee, foreign national, and immigrant survivors of war, violence, displacement, and trauma. In addition, inters will learn how to provide trauma-informed, victim-centered, strengths-based services that promote health and safety, inspire confidence, respects client choice, and assists survivors towards independence.

Please note that this position is unpaid but will fulfill MSW program school requirements. 

Interns for this position are required to have some in-person availability; the position is hybrid in-person/remote.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

·Provides support for group counseling or workshops including session planning, logistical preparation, and co-facilitation

·Provides follow up with clients for continued care coordination

·Refer clients to community resources and other case management duties 

·Accompanying clients to appointments—including medical, public benefit interviews, and other appointments and services

·Arrange for interpreters for individual and group sessions where needed

·Transport clients using your own vehicle when needed

·Make weekly client phone calls to arrange for group and individual sessions

·Complete and maintain required clinical documentation in a timely manner

·Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients’ treatment

·Attend individual supervision and/or group supervision if needed

·Commit to at least 15 hours per week for the duration of the internship

·Perform additional job-related duties and responsibilities as requested

·Work in both a standard office environment and community-based environment

·MSW students will have additional duties, such as conducting one-on-one therapeutic curriculum with clients and/or conducting mental health assessments with clients under supervision

·Conduct client satisfaction surveys to evaluate IRC’s therapeutic services program

Minimum Qualifications:

REQUIREMENTS:

·Must be enrolled in a Master’s-level program focusing on counseling or social work 

·Ability to communicate effectively with clinical team, clients, and staff

·Experience with vulnerable populations preferred, in particular psychological trauma due to war, displacement, violence, and persecution

·Desire to work with an ethnically diverse international population in innovative ways

·Ability to work effectively with partners, colleagues, and clients in a cross-cultural, team-based environment

·Ability to present oneself in an appropriately personable and professional manner to clients and staff

·Ability to be both consistent and flexible as circumstances warrant

·Ability to receive and utilize constructive feedback regarding performance, presentation and relationships with others

·Strong written and verbal communication skills

·Strong computer skills

·Proficiency in a second language spoken by the client base strongly preferred but not required

·Experience utilizing interpreters (in-person or via phone) preferred 

·A positive attitude and a desire to learn and adapt traditional clinical skills to meet the needs of a diverse client base

·Driver’s license, personal vehicle, auto insurance, a clean driving record, and willingness to drive clients in personal vehicle

·Technology requirements:

·Interns will be required to use their own technology tools to work on virtual opportunities. 

·IRC is not responsible for any personal device expenses such as personal smartphones, tablets, hotspots, data charges, etc.

·All personal devices must:

·Be kept current with all operating system updates and security patches, 

·Use a password or PIN with a minimum of 4 characters to log onto smartphones and tablets and 8 alpha and numeric characters for a laptop. 

·Have lock screen set to 10 minutes or less with a password required to unlock the device

·Configurations must be set to delete all data or lock after 10 unsuccessful attempts to enter a password or PIN. Lockout period must be no less than 30 minutes.

·Additional policy details will be discussed during orientation and training.

CLEARANCES: 

All offers are contingent on successfully passing background and criminal history checks as required by federal and state law or by IRC policy.

COMMITMENT:

·Minimum 15 hrs/wk for 4 months (commitment of one academic year strongly preferred)

·Primary availability during IRC business hours (M-F; 9am-5:00pm)

·Preference given to applicants able to make multi-term commitment

Reports To: Mekala Pavlin, LCSW