Cultural Mediator Bengali Speaker

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Background

Following a first assessment conducted in January 2017 in Italy and another one in July 2017, several critical protection gaps were identified within the assistance provided to refugees and migrants in Italy: mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), assistance to unaccompanied children, information provision and legal support. 

To respond to the identified gaps, IRC established a small presence in Italy. Programs in Italy include Refugee.Info, a web-based information platform, child protection programming targeting unaccompanied children and victims of trafficking, mentoring programs for the socio-economic inclusion of refugee youth, Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and education (social-emotional learning and healing classrooms).

Since April 2024 IRC Italia has been working in a joint effort with UNHCR teams to provide support to people forced to flee in key disembarkation areas as well as in reception facilities in Sicily (including the island of Lampedusa) and Calabria.

Job Summary 

The Bengali speaking Cultural Mediator will be part of a roving team led by a Protection and Specific Needs Expert based in Calabria. The team will support newly arrived people in the region, both in disembarkation points and in reception facilities, with a specific focus on survivors of trafficking. The Cultural Mediator will provide not only cultural mediation services but also direct support and information sessions to the people arriving in Italy with a high degree of autonomy. The candidate will support the Protection Expert in identifying persons with specific needs, especially survivors of trafficking, facilitating referral mechanism to the relevant services in the area. Reporting to the Protection Expert, the cultural mediator will operate in an inter-agency context, organizing the intervention with the protection and specific needs expert, in coordination with other International Organizations and relevant actors operating in the area.

The cultural mediator will also help with data collection and contribute to protection monitoring and assessment activities. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide cultural mediation during information provision sessions, both in groups and in 1 on 1 meetings with people in key disembarkation areas and in emergency reception centers;
• Deliver up-to-date and accurate information on rights and duties to the newly arrived persons, with a focus on the right to access asylum procedures and anti-trafficking, in particular to women, children, families;
• Provide information to newly arrived persons on the available services according to their specific needs;
• Conduct outreach in key disembarkation areas and reception facilities to identify beneficiaries’ needs and vulnerabilities;
• Identify persons with specific needs including trafficking survivors, GBV survivors, UASC, children at risk and facilitate referral to relevant services with a specific focus on the anti-trafficking entities available in the different territories;
• Attend all the internal capacity building organized to strengthen the competence of the team working with sensitive target populations;
• Support the overall protection monitoring activities by gathering the relevant data;
• Any other task assigned by the line manager. 

Reporting Lines:

• Position directly reports to: Protection Expert, IRC Italy

Expected Travel: 

• This position will be based in Reggio Calabria, with the expectation of regular travels throughout each respective catchment area to provide assistance during disembarkation procedures and within reception facilities.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Fluency in spoken and written Bengali language, good command of Italian.
• Knowledge of Urdu language is preferred.
• Previous experience in cultural mediation/interpretation.
• Previous experience in providing information sessions to migrants and asylum seekers.
• Good knowledge of the Italian legal system linked to the international protection procedure.
• Previous experience in working with trafficking survivors.
• Good knowledge of the survivor-centered, trauma-informed approach, child-centered approach.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook); ability to use the internet and other digital tools for data entry, research and problem-solving purposes.
• Valid driver’s license is strongly preferred
• Predisposed to teamwork, problem solving, ability to create a proactive environment.
• Excellent communication and relational skills.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact, and diplomacy

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

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