COVID Outreach Specialist At International Rescue Committee

IRC Background: The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC has a presence in over 40 countries and 24 offices in the United States; the IRC leads the way from harm to home. The Sacramento IRC office serves approximately 1,300 Afghan parolees, refugees, and SIVs annually and provides them with a fresh start and opportunities to use their greatest resources—their motivation, their skills, and their experiences—to become independent and self-sufficient new Americans.

Job Overview:

The International Rescue Committee is committed to ensuring that the refugee community throughout Sacramento is well informed about the COVID-19 vaccine and has access to the vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy in the community is a result of many different factors. The IRC is taking a multi-faceted approach to conducting outreach on the vaccine to provide information and education on the vaccine and hygiene to refugees in a culturally appropriate manner. The IRC is also coordinating closely with other resettlement agencies, local health departments, schools, places of worship and community organizations to share information on vaccinations

This is a full-time position that is dedicated to conducting outreach to the refugee community on the COVID-19 and flu vaccines and mitigation impacts of both COVID-19 and Influenza through sharing information and resources with the community. This position will report directly to the Health Promotion Coordinator under the Community Wellness Program and coordinate with other departments in the office as well.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Educating the community about the benefits of the COVID 19 vaccine, Influenza vaccine, hygiene, and food safety through outreach events that include but are not limited to: virtual meetings with clients, outreach at public events including food bank distributions, farmers markets, family resource events, in public parks, at places of worship and at other events
• Leading a virtual session on the COVID 19 vaccine with newly arrived clients through Cultural Orientation
• Attending a training on best practices to be led by a partner organization and utilizing techniques and best practices provided
• Translating materials such as flyers and brochures into client languages
• Designing flyers and other outreach materials
• Providing interpretation at vaccine clinics as needed
• Establishing working relationships with community organizations including mosques, churches, and schools
• This position may be required to work evenings and weekends as needed
• Keeping track of the number of clients reached through outreach events and recording data in spreadsheets
• Contribute to providing monthly and quarterly reports.
• Provide update on COVID outreach activities to share internally with other units and HQ, if requested.

Requirements:

• Fluency in English and one of the following languages: Dari, Pashto, Russian or Ukrainian
• No specific education is required for this position however the candidate should have experience interacting with the public and with clients and performing similar duties to those mentioned above which may include: community organization, community development work, social work, education work, or conducting trainings.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Excellent customer service skills
• Strong organizational skills including: multi-tasking, prioritizing, planning, and effective time management
• Strong communication skills, ability to communicate with limited-English speakers and community partners;
• Fluency in written and spoken English, with bilingual ability strongly preferred in one of our client’s languages including Dari, Pashto, Russian or Ukrainian
• The candidate must have a CA driver’s license and access to a vehicle to travel around the community to conduct outreach

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Health Promotion Coordinator
Position directly supervises: N/A

Indirect Reporting: N/A

Internal: Community Wellness Program and Outreach Specialist

External: Clients and the greater refugee community in Sacramento, community partners including food banks, local parks, schools, places of worship and community organizations.

Working Environment:**

This position is based in the Sacramento, CA and will work mostly in the community conducting outreach on the COVID 19 and Influenza vaccines as well as hygiene improvement processes.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities**, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.**

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.