INTERNATIONAL SERVICES CENTER - VOLUNTEER POSITION DESCRIPTIONS

 The International Services Center (ISC) of Cleveland has requested support from NORVA in recruiting volunteers to provide assistance for their immigrant and refugee services. ISC was established in 1916 as a non-sectarian, private non-profit refugee resettlement and social services agency.

Read the position descriptions below and please contact Natalie Elwell, NORVA’s service project committee representative to ISC (phone: (216) 371-2991).

Adult ESOL/Citizenship Tutor

Children’s Tutor

Refugee Resettlement Volunteer

Graphic Designer

Website Updater

Volunteer Coordinator

Adult ESOL/Citizenship Tutor

Position Summary:

Tutoring for adults generally takes place at the ISC building located at 1859 Prospect Ave. The meeting time is determined by the student and the volunteer tutor. ISC has learning materials available at the center. As tutors and students develop their relationship they may choose to meet at other locations. Materials may be borrowed from the agency, providing there are also enough copies for agency use. New citizenship materials are also available through ISC, as well as online.

Functions:

  • Assist refugees with English acquisition
  • Review citizenship preparatory materials


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    Children’s Tutor

    Position Summary:

    ISC offers tutoring to Somali Bantu refugee children at their community center on W. 38th Lorain. Tutoring is done one on one with the youngest children arriving right after school and subsequent age groups arriving every 40 minutes. Volunteers tutor Somali refugee children in one or all school subjects. As students arrive they will be paired with available tutors.

    Functions:

  • Assist with English acquisition
  • Guide children through their homework
  • Review lessons for comprehension
  • Liaise with child’s teacher (if parents don’t speak English?)


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    Refugee Resettlement Volunteer

    Position Summary:

    Volunteers may assist with a variety of tasks associated with resettling refugees in the greater Cleveland area. Volunteers may be paired with one refugee/family and support a range of their needs, or they may choose to support the organization’s resettlement efforts by performing a specific task that would benefit a number of refugees. See the specific functions for details.

    Functions:

  • Drivers: drive refugees to appointments. This requires daytime availability and a car. Volunteers donate the gas. Volunteers will generally be contacted XX days in advance and be given details regarding pick up and appointment locations and estimated length of appointment.
  • Cultural Trainers: Cultural trainers will choose from a list of requested cultural topics or offer their specific knowledge skills, and provide training to a group of refugees at a designated time and place – to be determined in coordination with the manager of refugee resettlement. Topics include: Libraries, RTA system, and educational programs, as well as very basic daily living concerns.
  • Supply organizers: these volunteers will assist ISC in tracking supply needs, soliciting donations of housing supplies for refugees, pick-up and delivery, and coordination of storage and inventory.
  • Family Support: Volunteers are paired with a refugee/family and assist the manager of refugee resettlement in fulfilling their specific needs.


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    Graphic Designer

    Position Summary:

    ISC seeks to offer information about ISC through printed materials. A volunteer graphic designer would work with the director of ISC to design brochures and other outreach materials.

    Functions:

  • Design brochures and other outreach materials


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    Website Updater

    Position Summary:

    ISC seeks to offer online information about services and events on their web site. A volunteer web updater would work with the director on an as needed basis to post updated information to the web site.

    Functions:

  • Make revisions to the web site as requested by the director of ISC
  • Regularly update pages with information provided by the director of ISC


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    Volunteer Coordinator

    Position Summary:

    ISC seeks to increase the number of refugees it assists by augmenting available programs with volunteer support. A volunteer coordinator of volunteers would support the director in identifying volunteer positions, preparing position descriptions, recruiting and supporting volunteers, and assisting the director in maintaining volunteer records.

    Functions:

  • Identify tasks within the organization that could be supported by a volunteer
  • Work with the director and program coordinators to develop volunteer position descriptions
  • Assist the director in efforts to recruit, train and retain volunteers
  • Support active volunteers in organizing schedules and performance challenges
  • Develop record keeping systems to assist the director in tracking volunteer contributions


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