Community Services Internship- IINE (Manchester, NH)

MSW 2^nd Year Placement (IINE Manchester)

The International Institute of New England is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving refugees and immigrants in Boston, MA, Lowell, MA, and Manchester, NH. The Institute offers internships to students, graduate students, and recent graduates with demonstrated interest or experience in supporting refugee, asylee, and immigrant populations. Each internship includes an educational component, through which interns contextualize their experience and reflect on their service.

All internships are unpaid and correspond roughly with the US semester system:

• 2^nd Year MSW Placement January 2026-December 2026
• 24 hours / week typically 3 days / week
• This is an in person / on-site experience and interns will be expected to be client facing and work in the office as well as our in the field.
• IINE does not provide clinical level mental health intervention.

Community Services Internship Overview

IINE's Community Services Team welcomes and helps settle refugees within their first 90 days in the U.S. and continues to provide structured support based on client need up to 5 years post arrival. Interns will gain experience connecting clients to benefits and other resources and supports in the community. Assist clients with budgeting and navigating a verity of systems including but not limited to: SNAP, NH EZ, Public School, Transportation and Healthcare. Depending on the students MSW career interest this placement may also include macro level community.

Reports to: Managing Director for MSW supervision & Career Services Manager for day-to-day field work instruction.

Location: Manchester, NH

Key Responsibilities:

• Work on the Community Services Team supporting clients
• Participate /co-facilitate refugee health promotion groups
• Attend community partner meetings
  • Assist in problem solving
  • Special projects that support community development

Qualifications:

• Interest in international, refugee, asylee, and/or immigrant issues
• Patience speaking with non-native English speakers / non-English speakers
• Professionalism, discretion, and maturity in dealing with confidential information
• Experience editing and formatting, especially resumes and cover letters
• Language skills in Kinyarwanda, Swahili, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Somali preferred
• Highly organized with great attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint

Learning Objectives:

1. Work with MSW Supervisor to create IINE / UNH MSW learning contract
2. Learn and hone skills working with diverse populations in all settings of Refugee Resettlement practice.
3. Lean effective client case notes and compliance documentation
4. Field work assisting to facilitate support groups and
5. Macro Level Experience in: Community partnership development & removing barriers for clients: Childcare project, attend community partner meetings.
6. Policy & Advocacy: learn about legislative Bills and strategies to advocate for support for refugees impacted by proposed legislation.