Refugee Case Worker - Limited Term - 2024473

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.

World Relief seeks a Refugee Case Worker. This position assists with the provision of core services and provides short-term case management for refugee families in coordination with WR staff, local churches, and the broader community. This position will be responsible for providing ongoing client services and administrative tasks for the receptions and placement and match grant programs. Position is based in Carol Stream and requires frequent client visits throughout DuPage, Kane, Will, and surrounding counties.

This is a limited-term position funded through a grant agreement until 12/13/2024 and contingent upon funding extension.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Coordinate pre-arrival details for incoming refugees and their family
• Assist with securing safe, sanitary, and affordable housing for refugee clients prior to their arrival in the U.S. o Work alongside the volunteer coordinator to ensure clients are well received from the airport and provided with material needs support upon arrival.
• Provide newly arriving refugee families with core services during the first year in the U.S.
• Assist staff with providing clients with initial and on-going orientations to life in the U.S.
• Ensure that clients promptly receive health screenings, public aid enrollment, ESL enrollment, social security application, WIC appointment (when needed), community resources, and help with phones & internet set-ups, and securing clothing/household items.
• Assist with lease signings and utility start-ups.
• Ensure clients have access to food assistance (gift cards and/or food pantries) when there is a delay in food stamps. Ensure clients know where the grocery stores are and provide an initial trip to the store when necessary.
• Request checks from the finance department and ensure clients receive funds in a timely manner to pay rent in the first 90 days and provide education/orientation to clients around paying housing and utility bills. Connect clients to financial resources when appropriate.
• Perform home visits and evaluations during the resettlement period (first 90 days post-arrival)
• Conduct additional screening and follow-up evaluations for cases with minors traveling alone
• Conduct additional home visits and financial budgeting assistance at day 180 and day 270 for clients enrolled in Match Grant to ensure self-sufficiency is achieved.
• Provide long term case management for clients beyond the first year, as needed
• Conduct comprehensive family assessment and financial budgeting assistance with each client, develop individual client service plans based on strengths and needs, and facilitate connections to appropriate services and resources
• Conduct home visits and regular check-ins throughout the first year to assess goal progression, to evaluate family stability and needs, and to provide support and guidance to clients through case management.
• Empower clients while providing them with tools necessary to meet their goals
• Provide mediation services between clients and outside entities (i.e., neighbors, landlords, volunteers, service providers, etc.)
• Other duties as assigned

• Maintain timely and accurate client files, case notes, and reporting records
• Generate chronological case notes and code all services for clients in a CRM database in a timely manner
• Prepare and complete required reports: monthly R&P reports, monthly team reports, and quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports as needed
• Complete weekly skills progress assessments for newly-arrived refugee families and families who have been in the U.S. for 3, 7, and 11 months
• Actively participate in department meetings, staff development opportunities, program trainings, community activities, and organizational events
• Provide supervision and accountability for department interns when assigned
• Work closely with internal service teams and external service providers to ensure comprehensive service provision
• Collaborate with volunteers and Volunteer Services staff to support the work of volunteers engaging with clients to meet the goals of the client’s service plan

• Strong interpersonal communication and conflict resolution skills
• Strong organizational skills and ability to maintain detailed, accurate records
• Ability to work independently in achieving program goals, while collaborating with team and other departments to ensure client success
• Highly self-motivated with good follow-through and problem-solving skills
• Willing and able to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent deadlines
• Fluency in Arabic, Burmese, Russian, Swahili, French, Spanish, Pashto, or Dari strongly preferred
• Task oriented and excellent time management skills

• 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
• Experience in social services or case management preferred
• MS Office skills required
• Cross-cultural experience required
• Valid driver’s license, regular access to a vehicle, and ability/willingness to drive 15-passenger van required
• Regular travel is required (client’s home and aiding in the connection to other service providers)
• Occasional evenings or weekends 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.