Boise State Service Learning Department
Northwest Nazarene Cultural Studies Program
College of Western Idaho: Adult Basic Education Program
College of Southern Idaho

To have your college or university department listed, please contact Kara Fink at kfink@idahorefugees.org.

Internships:
Agencies who work closely with refugees rely on the service and innovation of college interns to bring new and fresh perspectives to the work they do. If you are interested in becoming an intern at a resettlement agency, here are some tips to help make that process go smoother.

• Start the process early! Agencies need time to prepare for interns, so start the process early (preferably one semester before) for the most meanigful experience.
• Prepare a resume with a statement of purpose that explains why you are seeking out an experience working with refugees. This will help the agencies understand more about who you are, and what kind of internship you are looking for.
• Contact your academic advisor or department internship coordinator to determine the agency requirements for an internship.
• Contact the director or volunteer coordinator at the agency you're interested in to see if they are accepting interns.
• If possible, let the agency know how many hours you will need, what days you are available, and what you are hoping to learn from the internship.
• If someone doesn't respond to you within a week, it is okay to follow up and try again. Refugee arrivals ebb and flow, and you may have called initially during a very busy time. Don't give up!
• Be creative! If you have an idea of a project or program you would like to develop for an agency, brainstorm these ideas with your agency of choice.

Service-Learning/Community Service:
If you are required to complete a set number of hours for a service learning component of a college course, the best way to connect with an agency is to:

• Boise State Service Learning: Contact the Service Learning Department at your school 
• Northwest Nazarene University: Contact your professor for options/requirements for Service-Learning
• College of Southern Idaho: Program is in development, check with individual instructors
• College of Western Idaho: Program is in development, check with individual instructors

Volunteering

If you are interested in helping out directly with refugees, there are several volunteer opportunities available at all the resettlement agencies as well as the English Language Center.

Some of these opportunities may include:

• Volunteering with a specific family to help out with daily living skills
• Tutoring children and adults who are learning English
• Classroom help for adults at the English Language Center
• Presenter for specialized cultural orientation program
• Planning and support for special events
• After school programs for elementary and secondary students
• Collecting donations for newly arriving refugees
• Setting up apartments for newly arriving refugees
• Transportation to and from appointments
• Interpretation and translation for non English speaking clients
• And much much more!