Immigration Legal Services- Support Team Volunteer
Are you a compassionate person with a heart for immigrant justice? Do you want to learn more about the legal field while making a real difference? Help honor the dignity and contributions of the newest members of the Washington, D.C. area immigrant community by volunteering with the Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services (ILS) team! ILS provides urgently needed legal assistance to foreign‐born individuals and their families. ILS assists low-income clients in seeking the legal relief for which they are eligible. ILS Support Team Volunteers greatly increase ILS’ impact through the gifts of their time and talent.
ILS Support Team Volunteers serve a critical role within the program, increasing our capacity to serve and helping us meet our goal of providing competent, compassionate legal services to the immigrant community. Volunteers perform much needed functions that do not require an attorney or DOJ Accredited Legal Representative, thus freeing our legal staff to focus their time and energy on legal representation and enabling us to serve more people in need. Support Team Volunteers may perform a variety of functions, from valuable clerical assistance to working directly with clients in gathering information and writing statements.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Provide administrative support to our offices and/or pro bono team
- Help staff assemble immigration application packets
- Assist staff in managing files (preparing closing letters, close file in database).
- Notify clients of US Citizenship & Immigration Service correspondence by mail and/or phone, and file correspondence.
- Scan files/legal documents into database.
Other duties depend on volunteer’s skills & interest, may include:
- Work with clients to prepare statements/affidavits
- Conduct country-conditions research
- Interpret and/or translate for clients and attorneys
- Support pro bono attorneys and pro bono program
Qualifications:
- Minimum age 18
- Basic to intermediate computer competence (email, word processing, and beyond)
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality
- Fluent in spoken & written English
- Spanish or French language skills preferred
Desired Skills, Experience & Characteristics:
- Appreciation of diversity and respect for those with differing backgrounds and life experiences
- Strong attention to detail
- Excellent organization skills
Volunteer Benefits:
- Interact with individuals from different countries and cultures in a setting that values diversity and increases awareness of immigrant justice issues
- Be part of a team of committed individuals that makes a concrete, lasting difference in the lives of those we serve
- Gain knowledge of our immigration laws and a deeper understanding of the systems immigrants must navigate
- Grow in organizational and office support skills
Support:
- ILS Volunteers are provided on-site supervision by the attorneys and accredited representatives with whom they work. They are provided individualized training in all required tasks. Attorneys and representatives create a supportive environment that welcomes questions.
Time Commitment:
- Commit to working at least 16 hours per week on a regular basis
- Work hours are 9 – 5:30 Monday through Friday
- Hours worked each week may be divided into four-hour shifts
- ILS staff will work with volunteers to identify a weekly schedule that meets the needs of the volunteer and of the ILS program
Location:
- ILS seeks volunteers for its offices in the following locations:
- 12247 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20902
- 201 E. Diamond Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
- 924 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
- 1618 Monroe Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010
- Parking is available in the Silver Spring and Gaithersburg locations. The Washington, DC locations have limited street parking.
- The Silver Spring office building (near the corner of Georgia Ave. and Randolph) is within walking distance of the Glenmont metro station. The Washington DC offices are within easy walking distance of the Gallery Place -Chinatown and Columbia Heights metro stations, respectively.
Next Steps:
- Sept. 15: Fill out an application
- Sept. 8 – Sept. 24: Matching Expectations conversation with Catholic Charities staff
- Oct. 1: Find out if you’ve been selected for the role
- Oct. 1 – Oct. 22: Attend virtual Volunteer Orientation and complete screenings
- Late October: Begin volunteering!