Asylum Seeker Caseworker (Bellingham, WA)(Limited Term)

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that is fighting for change that lasts, right here in the U.S. and across the globe. We bring sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. The organization is approximately 75 years old and has worked in over 100 countries around the world since its founding.

In the United States, we come alongside local churches, community organizations and hundreds of individual volunteers to support newly arriving refugee and other immigrant families. Today, we are proud to partner with over 6,000 local churches, and 95,000 volunteers globally to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten?  Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.

The asylum seeker caseworker provides culturally-responsive case management services for asylum seekers settling in Western Washington through the Washington Migrant and Asylum-Seeker Support Services (MASS) project. This position will provide one-on-one case management for up to nine months based on client-directed goals and their service plan. The caseworker will coordinate with the Newcomer Reception and Navigation Hub, community partners, housing assistance providers, lawyers, and other World Relief staff and volunteers to remove specific barriers for asylum seekers to find a pathway toward economic stability and self-sufficiency.  This position is currently exclusively funded through the WA MASS program.

This is a limited-term position funded through a grant agreement until June 30, 2025 and contingent upon funding extension.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Conduct screenings and intake needs assessment with asylum seeking individuals and families and refer to the Hub based on eligibility
• Develop service plans that establish goals and a timeline based on barriers to self-sufficiency, for each case
• Provide community and cultural orientation to each case on topics such as Public Assistance, U.S. Laws, Community Resources & Services, Employment, Health, Housing, Hygiene, Safety, Cultural Adjustment, Education, and Transportation
• Maintain regular contact with assigned cases, including check-ins at Day 30, Day 60, and Day 90
• Assist participants to purchase phones, phone service, or other basic needs items as required
• Assist participants in accessing public transportation through providing bus orientations and bus passes
• Schedule and arrange transportation for medical appointments
• Assist participants in obtaining Social Security cards and state IDs
• Coordinate asylum seeker access to appropriate services through in-house and community partners such as public assistance, legal assistance, education, financial literacy, health care, employment services, housing services, food banks, furniture banks, clothing banks, and other related services
• Follow up with the Hub on progress towards MASS services provided to participants
• Conduct school enrollments for asylum seeker families with children
• Assess completion of service plan and goals and close each case after ensuring all appropriate referrals are made
• Maintain and complete electronic case files and required documentation for each case
• Ensure all client data is current and accurate and provide updates to the Hub’s data collection system
• Coordinate tasks with volunteers and interns
• Provide feedback, insight and suggestions to further develop asylum seeker program
• Other related tasks as assigned

• A desire to serve asylum seekers in support of the mission of World Relief
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field preferred
• Proficiency in a culturally relevant language highly desirable
• Flexibility and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced work environment
• Ability to work independently and problem solve
• High level of organizational skills
• Good oral and written English communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work sensitively and effectively in cross-cultural settings
• Previous experience with refugees or asylum seekers highly desirable
• Good time management and multi-tasking skills
• Ability to work well as part of a team and with diverse groups of people
• Dependable and consistent in attendance and performance
• Willing to travel across counties willing

• Mature and personal Christian faith
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
• Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Evangelicals For the Health of The Nation document
• Previous cross-cultural experience required
• Current driver’s license, and clean driving record required.
• Authorization to legally work in the US.
• Intermediate computer knowledge, including MS Office and the ability to learn new programs required

World Relief offers a competitive benefits package (25 hours + per week):

- Medical, Dental, Vision

- Offer 16 company Paid Holidays + 4 additional Personal days per year!

- Paid Sick and Vacation Time

- Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks for qualified employees)

- FSAs: Medical & Dependent Care, & Commuter Funding

- Supplemental Life Insurance (employee, spouse, and children)

- Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident insurance policies

- Legal Shield Insurance

World Relief pays 100% for eligible employees:

- Group Term Life (employee, spouse, and children)

- Long Term & Short-term Disability

- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)

- Long Distance Travel Insurance

World Relief offers a competitive benefits package for Part-time positions (less than 25 hours per week): 

- Offer 16 Paid Holidays

- Sick time available as required by state/local law

All part-time employees are eligible for the following benefits:

- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

World Relief - Retirement:

- Eligibility: After 1000 hours in a year 

- Automatically enrolled at 4% 

- 401K & Roth through Fidelity 

- WR matches up to 4%, then an additional quarter percent up to 10%  

World Relief Discounts (Immediately Eligible):

- Verizon

- Pet Insurance through Nationwide

- Home and Auto insurance through Liberty Mutual

- Working Advantage Discount Program

- Active & Fit Gym Membership

World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations

·         The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds.

·         Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information.

·         The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

·         General office setting. World Relief also offers hybrid and remote schedules for limited positions.

·         Great lengths of time working on computer, reading from computer screen, entering information, standing at copier or fax machine, and some time on the phone or in virtual meetings may be required.

·         Year-end archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending.

·         Physical, emotional and intellectual demands

·         Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, and copier.

·         All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V.

For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Legal Background in the United States

World Relief is both an equal opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. World Relief strictly prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against employees on the basis of person’s race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law, which does not conflict with the protections afforded World Relief as a faith-based employer.  

In addition, physical or mental limitations will not be a factor in the application of World Relief's employment policies or employee practices, except for those situations in which occupational requirement make consideration of such factors necessary.

Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 2000e 1(a) World Relief has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with World Relief’s Statement of Faith.