Internships
World Relief interns have the opportunity to gain professional casework skills, build meaningful relationships, and learn about local and global refugee issues, both through direct-service to refugees and ongoing trainings and debriefing sessions.
The purpose of World Relief Seattle's Internship Program is to prepare individuals for cross-cultural service by immersing them in the field of refugee and asylee resettlement. Interns are essential to our work, volunteering in hands-on ways such as accompanying refugees and asylees on important appointments, setting up apartments for new arrivals, and assisting in ESL classes. World Relief interns have the opportunity to gain professional casework skills, build meaningful relationships, and learn about local and global refugee issues, both through direct-service to refugees and ongoing trainings and debriefing sessions.
The Internship Program is a competitive program that has accepted students and recent graduates from universities across the United States. We select applicants from all fields of study who demonstrate excellence in service and learning, and a desire to serve through working with newcomer communities.
Internship alumni have gone on to diverse fields such as international development, education, local politics, and, of course, refugee resettlement work.
Purpose
The purpose of the World Relief Detention Center Post-Release Internship is to prepare interns for cross-cultural services through immersion in immigrant and refugee fieldwork. The Detention Center Post-Release team serves asylum seekers and others released from immigration detention by providing case management services that empower the individual to accomplish their determined next steps and goals.
Possible Responsibilities
- Welcome newly released immigrants as they leave the ICE Processing Center/Detention Center in Tacoma on Fridays
- Data input and collection
- Assist client in accessing public benefits such as SNAP.
- Assist client in applying for documents such as State ID.
- Work with staff to advocate for clients and connect them to community resources such as libraries or employment opportunities.
- Provide transportation to various appointments as appropriate.
- Deliver gift-in-kind items such as clothing, backpacks and hygiene items to clients. Communicate consistently with Internship Coordinator, Detention Center Post-Release team and other staff about client’s needs and issues relating to their integration.
- Other related tasks as needed
Requirements
- Flexibility!
- Ability and desire to work with people from various cultural, religious and social backgrounds
- Current driver’s license and access to a vehicle
- Desire to serve refugees and the vision of World Relief Seattle, “every refugee and immigrant welcomed by community, rooted in community and empowered by community” and the mission of World Relief; “empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable”
- Bilingual in Spanish or Tigrinya speaker preferred
Other Aspects of Internship
- 6-8 weekly evening meetings (usually Monday nights 6pm-8:30pm) with World Relief staff for training
- Readings and videos on forced migration, diversity, equity & inclusion, cross-cultural work, and a theology of hospitality
- Reflective journal entries.
Timeframe:
Internships generally begin in January, April, June or September. The internship lasts for a minimum of 3 months and interns are expected to work a minimum of 200 direct service hours to complete the internship. At least one full day of availability each week is required.
Purpose
The purpose of the World Relief Internship is to prepare interns for cross-cultural service by immersing them in the field of refugee resettlement, service and non-profit administration. ESL interns partner with adult refugee and immigrant students to build their confidence and skills in English communication so they can thrive in their new American context.
Potential Responsibilities
- Assist ESL Instructors with facilitating activities in weekly English classes in-person or on Zoom
- Serve as an ESL tutor for 5-10 adult students at various levels, meeting virtually or in-person with each of them each week to review the lessons from their class for that week, talk about questions that they have from the lessons, practice conversation, and check in relationally
- Assist ESL Instructors with creating materials
- Assist ESL Team to track student attendance & other data
- Assist ESL Team with administering standardized tests for students
- Check in on students who are new in the classes to make sure they understand how to complete lessons
- Attend weekly ESL Team meeting
- Participate in other ESL-specific trainings and meetings with ESL Team as desired & available
- Other related tasks or observation opportunities may be assigned depending on World Relief’s needs and each intern’s interests
Requirements
- Flexibility!
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to take initiative
- Ability and desire to work with people from various cultural, religious and social backgrounds
- Patience, perseverance, and a willingness to risk discomfort for the sake of building meaningful relationships
- Desire to serve refugees and the mission of World Relief (“Empowering the local Church to serve the most vulnerable.”)
- Previous ESL experience not required
Other Aspects of Internship
- 6-8 weekly evening meetings (usually Monday nights 6:00-8:00) with World Relief staff for training
- Readings and videos on forced migration, diversity, equity & inclusion, cross-cultural work, and a theology of hospitality
- Reflective journal entries
Timeframe:
Internships generally begin in January, April, June or September. The internship lasts for a minimum of 3 months and interns are expected to work a minimum of 200 direct service hours to complete the internship. At least two half days of availability each week are required.
Purpose
The purpose of the World Relief Internship is to prepare interns for cross-cultural service by immersing them in the field of refugee resettlement. The Health & Wellness team serves recently arrived refugee and asylee individuals in long-term case management programs to overcome barriers to successful integration.
Possible responsibilities
- Assist Case Workers with attending and transporting refugee clients to important appointments.
- Help recently arrived families access appropriate services such as paying bills, getting a state ID, securing public benefits and necessary documentation, and receiving medical care.
- Teach essential life skills to refugee families, including: shopping, using public transportation, balancing a checkbook, etc.
- Practice English with refugees and help them adjust to American culture.
- Maintain regular communication with cases assigned from caseworkers.
- Communicate consistently with supervisor and casework staff about refugee needs and issues relating to their integration.
- Work with staff to advocate for clients and connect them to community resources such as child care, libraries, or employment opportunities.
- Participate in weekly team meetings as available
- Other related tasks may be assigned depending on organizational needs and each intern’s interests.
Requirements
- Flexibility!
- Ability and desire to work with people from various cultural, religious and social backgrounds.
- Current driver’s license highly preferred. Access to a vehicle is helpful.
- Desire to serve refugees and the mission of World Relief (“Empowering the local Church to serve the most vulnerable.”)
Other aspects of internship
- 6-8 weekly evening meetings (usually Monday nights 6pm-8:30pm) with World Relief staff for training
- Readings and videos on forced migration, diversity, equity & inclusion, cross-cultural work, and a theology of hospitality
- Reflective journal entries.
Timeframe
Internships generally begin in January, April, June or September. The internship lasts for a minimum of 3 months and interns are expected to work a minimum of 200 direct service hours to complete the internship. Service longer than 3 months is preferred but not required. At least one full day of availability each week is required.
Summary
The Legal Intern will play a critical role in World Relief Seattle’s growing Immigration Legal Services (ILS) team. The Legal Intern will be both on the front lines and behind the scenes of the ILS team’s work representing immigrant clients.
Responsibilities
- Facilitate in-person and telephone intake of new and existing clients
- Answer and screen incoming phone calls for the ILS department and direct accordingly
- Schedule client appointments and administer reminder phone calls
- Sort outgoing/incoming mail for ILS team
- Assemble and archive client case files
- Collect payment from clients and issue receipts
- Assist with prompt filing and data entry of all correspondence from the government and communicate relevant information to clients and ILS team members
- Assist ILS team members with other tasks as needed
Qualifications
- A desire to serve immigrants and refugees in support of the mission and vision of World Relief
- Highly detail oriented, very organized, and able to follow projects through to their completion
- Excellent inter-personal communication and enthusiasm for working as part of a team
- Experience in customer service is highly valued
- Flexibility and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced work environment
- Demonstrated ability to work sensitively and effectively in cross-cultural settings
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word required; familiarity with Outlook preferred
- Proficiency in Spanish highly preferred
- Good oral and written English communication skills
Project opportunities
- Prepare naturalization clients for citizenship interview
- Implement new case file organization
- Lead outreach to immigrant community to share about legal services
Optional parts of the internship
- Shadow DOJ-accredited reps in appointments with clients
- Participate in weekly team mtgs
Purpose
The purpose of the World Relief Internship is to prepare interns for cross-cultural service by immersing them in the field of refugee resettlement.
Possible Responsibilities
- Assist Case Workers with attending and transporting refugee clients to important appointments.
- Help newly arrived families with tasks such as paying bills, applying for employment, or getting a state ID.
- Assist with ESL classes as needed.
- Teach essential life skills to refugee families, including: shopping, using public transportation, setting up a bank account, e.g.
- Practice English with refugees and help them adjust to American culture.
- Communicate consistently with Internship Coordinator and casework staff about refugee needs and issues relating to their resettlement.
- Work with staff to advocate for clients and connect them to community resources such as child care, libraries, or employment opportunities.
- Other related tasks may be assigned depending on organizational needs and each intern’s interests
Requirements
- Flexibility!
- Ability and desire to work with people from various cultural, religious and social backgrounds
- Current driver’s license highly preferred. Access to a vehicle is helpful.
- Desire to serve refugees and the mission of World Relief (“Empowering the local Church to serve the most vulnerable.”)
Other Aspects of Internship
- 6-8 weekly evening meetings (usually Monday nights 6pm-8:30pm) with World Relief staff for training.
- Readings and videos on forced migration, diversity, equity & inclusion, cross-cultural work, and the theology of hospitality.
- Reflective journal entries
Timeframe:
Internships generally begin in January, April, June or September. The internship lasts for a minimum of 3 months and interns are expected to work a minimum of 200 direct service hours to complete the internship. At least one full day of availability each week is required.
Purpose
The Social Media Intern Intern will play a critical role in World Relief Western Washington’s growing Development Team. The Social Media Intern will be both on the front lines and behind the scenes of the development team’s work representing the organization as a whole.
Responsibilities
- Assist with the design and execution of social media content
- Create weekly and monthly social media content calendars to align with the Communications Strategy
- Create and publish content such as blogs, infographics, videos, and press releases on social media and digital outlets
- Track social media and digital engagement to identify performance and campaigns for scalability
- Support communications coordinator at live events
- Perform social media and digital marketing research
- Respond to online inquiries and DMs on platforms
- Brainstorm and research ideas for original content
- Create compelling graphics across digital platforms and channels
- Help create and edit social media videos, captions, and other content
- Develop new strategies for increasing engagement
- Ensure brand identity and awareness remain consistent
Qualifications
- A desire to serve immigrants and refugees in support of the mission and vision of World Relief
- Highly detail-oriented, very organized, and able to follow projects through to their completion
- Excellent interpersonal communication and enthusiasm for working as part of a team
- Experience in social media and graphic design
- Flexibility and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced work environment
- Demonstrated ability to work sensitively and effectively in cross-cultural settings
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word required; familiarity with Outlook preferred
- Good oral and written English communication skills
Project opportunities
- Event-related promotional materials
- End-of-year giving initiative
- Local events and campaigns
Timeframe:
Internships generally begin in January, April, June or September. The internship lasts for a minimum of 3 months and interns are expected to work a minimum of 200 direct service hours to complete the internship. At least one full day of availability each week is required.
Purpose
The purpose of the World Relief Internship is to prepare interns for cross-cultural service by immersing them in the field of refugee resettlement and services.
Possible Responsibilities
The Next Generation Summer Intern supports World Relief’s Next Generation department in providing essential support and resources to children and families to promote wellbeing, academic success and community connection. Possible responsibilities include:
- Supporting Refugee Youth Summer Academy, potentially assisting with:
- Helping caregivers register their students for camp
- Transporting youth to and from camp activities
- Sorting and delivering important learning supplies to students’ homes
- Helping instructors and Resiliency Department interns facilitate in-person learning activities at local spaces
- Supporting virtual learning group calls as needed
- Connecting with individual students to support their experience
- Completing data entry and information systems tasks
- Assisting with case management for Next Gen families, such as securing basic resources, navigating school, and increasing computer literacy. Communicate well with Next Gen staff about the status of family needs.
- Helping families navigate program participation requirements, such as completing consent forms
- Checking in with Next Generation families in regards to opportunities, needs, demographic information, program satisfaction surveys, etc.
- Delivering gifts in celebration of students’ birthdays each month
- Attending planning or training meetings with Next Gen staff
- Depending on intern skillset and availability, completing projects involving design, research, or planning, to support Next Gen initiatives
- Other related tasks may be assigned, depending on organizational needs and each intern’s interests
Requirements
- Flexibility, initiative, and organizational ability.
- Ability and desire to work with people from various cultural, religious and social backgrounds.
- Experience working with youth highly preferred.
- Current driver’s license required.
- Desire to serve refugees and the mission of World Relief (“Empowering the local Church to serve the most vulnerable.”)
Other Aspects of Internship
- 6-8 weekly evening meetings (usually Monday nights 6pm-8:30pm) with World Relief staff for training
- Readings and videos on forced migration, diversity, equity & inclusion and cross-cultural work
- Reflective journal entries
Timeframe:
The Next Generation internship starts in June. The internship lasts for a minimum of 3 months and interns are expected to work a minimum of 200 direct service hours to complete the internship. At least two full days of availability each week is required, but more is preferred, due to the full-time nature of our summer program. Preferred days include Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
For additional information or to request an application, contact us!
Refugee & Immigrant Youth Internships
We believe that one of the best places to start creating lasting, positive change often begins with the next generation. Therefore, we created paid internship opportunities that empower local refugee and immigrant youth in the Kent School District.
These internships present students with opportunities to learn about local environmental solutions, becoming advocates for their community and educating the next generation.
For questions contact us!
2023 Resiliency Programs Internship
Equity & Sustainability Summer Intern
A 3-month paid Internship
Download Internship Description
Internship Details
World Relief Western Washington's Resiliency Programs seek to support the inherent resiliency of refugees and immigrants by building bridges to resources and community. Our work advocates for healthy communities and seeks to change systems that suppress and oppress communities and create vulnerable situations. Through our Resiliency Programs we aim to create spaces that empower communities to come together to learn, grow, share, dream, and thrive.
This paid internship was created to develop a new group of diverse leaders in the environmental field and local food system movement. Intern cohorts will work together as a team to focus on areas varying from environmental education, community garden management, food and nutrition. This internship is place-based in South King County, using Paradise Parking Plots Community Garden and our commercial teaching kitchen as case studies for local community development. We give strong preference to applicants from the refugee and immigrant populations we serve, though anyone is welcome to apply.
Internship Responsibilities:
● Understand World Relief Western Washington’s organizational mission and how this translates to the services we offer to the immigrant and refugee community
● Understand how Resiliency Programs, and specifically the Paradise Parking Plots Community Garden, aligns with World Relief Western Washington’s vision, its impact on our community and the health of the environment we share
● Attend weekly trainings led by World Relief Western Washington’s staff and organizational partners to learn about regional environmental challenges, development of culturally-appropriate outdoor education and local food systems
● Choose and become an expert in one of the following focus areas: environmental education, community garden management or food and nutrition
● Utilize knowledge learned throughout the internship to lead educational garden tours engaging stakeholders such as: community-based organizations, local elected officials, educational institutes and community members
● Participate in the garden Summer Celebration by giving community garden tours, assisting with outreach and planning logistical details alongside World Relief staff
● Develop professional skills such as project execution, time management, communication and teamwork
● Network with professionals in the environmental field and learn about different career pathways and opportunities
Is This You?
● Currently between the ages of 15-21 (some flexibility)
● Strong preference for those with lived refugee or immigrant experience/background
● Live locally in South King County (preference to the Kent, WA area)
● A flexible schedule from May through mid-August and able to accommodate between 15-25 working hours Monday-Saturday
● A desire to engage with your local community around topics such as: agriculture, food access, stormwater and sustainability
● Eagerness to step out of comfort zone and grow in public speaking, teaching, outreach and community engagement
● Enjoys working in a collaborative team environment
● Capable of thinking systemically (big picture) about complex issues and coming up with creative solutions
● A desire to see and be a part of positive change in your community
Helpful Experience to Have:
● Previous leadership experience overseeing clubs, school projects or events
● A background in educating youth or adults
● Education or training in the environmental and sustainability field
We Invite You to Apply!
Interested in applying for the Paradise Parking Plots Equity and Sustainability Summer Internship? Please complete the application found at the link below. The priority application consideration date is April 30th, but we will accept applications until all 3 positions are filled.
2023-24 Paradise Parking Plots Community Garden Internship
Project Manager Intern - 12-month Paid Internship
Internship Details:
This paid position focuses on mentoring and developing young leaders in the environmental field. The intern will oversee and empower four Equity & Sustainability Summer Interns to: create environmental education curriculum, complete sustainability initiatives, operationalize garden projects and increase capacity of our teaching and commercial kitchen.
As a refugee resettlement and services organization, World Relief Western Washington (WRWW) focuses on empowering those we serve to use their inherent gifts and abilities to develop their surrounding community. For this reason, we give strong preference to representatives of the populations we serve, particularly those from refugee and/or immigrant lived experiences, though anyone is welcome to apply.
What You’ll Be Doing:
● Coordinate environmentally-focused workshops and field trips for the intern cohort to engage with local environmental challenges, solutions and green job opportunities
● Understand World Relief Western Washington’s organizational mission and how this translates to the services we offer to the immigrant and refugee community
● Understand how Paradise Parking Plots aligns with World Relief Western Washington’s mission, its impact on our community, and the health of the environment we share
● Collaborate with WRWW staff to conduct outreach and recruitment of a cohort of 4 local (Kent) high school students of refugee or immigrant background
● Facilitate opportunities for interns to develop skills and knowledge in environmental science, sustainable food systems, education and systems thinking
● Utilize existing resources to further develop curriculum materials for Equity & Sustainability Interns and oversee the implementation of the lessons at WRWW Refugee Youth Summer Academy for K-8th grade youth
● Advocate for your community through engaging stakeholders (invested individuals and community organizations) on key issues around food security, environmental justice, and green stormwater infrastructure
● Curate occasional updates on WRWW social media to communicate to program supporters
Is This You:
● Currently between the ages of 16-23 (flexible)
● Strong preference for those with refugee or immigrant lived experience
● Live locally in Kent or highly invested in the local community
● Self-motivated, flexible and able to stay on task with minimal supervision
● Open to giving and receiving feedback/coaching
● Interest in growing leadership and mentorship skills through leading and managing a cohort of local high school students.
● Interest in teaching and mentoring young students throughout summer camp
● Capable of thinking systematically (big picture) about complex issues and coming up with creative solutions
● Ability to clearly communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences
● A desire to see and be a part of positive change in your community
Helpful Experience to Have:
● Management experience overseeing
● Teaching experience with youth K – 8th grade
● Education, experience or interest in the environmental science field
We Invite You to Apply!
Interested in applying for the Paradise Parking Plots Internship? Please complete the application found at the link below. The priority consideration date is March 6th
If you have any questions about the application process or would like further information, please feel free to email or call Lucas McClish (Lmcclish@wr.org; 253-277-1121).

"This internship at World Relief Seattle has taught me that truly listening to others and having an open mind and heart is the base for how I impact others, and how they can make an impact on me."
- Isabella, Former Resettlement Intern

"Two of my greatest passions are providing hospitality and advocating for immigrants. Interning at the Welcome RV allows me to combine these.
I am constantly inspired by the resilience of the folks I meet outside these gates and feel honored to get to walk alongside them as they navigate their next steps."
- Becca, Former Post-Release Intern

"It’s easy for me to become angry at my community for being ambivalent or negative towards refugees…until I remember that my most powerful teacher has been my firsthand experiences with refugees themselves."
- Beth, Former Intern

“I was given a platform to explore my family’s heritage as refugees while helping other refugees, opportunities to study the US immigration system, a renewed sense of purpose and passion for helping people, and a large measure of healing.”
–Katherine, former intern
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