Language Access Intern - Position Description DC Office of Human Rights Spring 2014

The DC Office of Human Rights (OHR) is seeking skilled interns interested in immigrant rights, equity and access, public service, and community outreach to join the Language Access (LA) Program team during the spring 2014 semester. Background: The Language Access Program On April 21, 2004, the District of Columbia enacted a fundamental piece of civil rights legislation the DC Language Access Act of 2004. The Act holds covered DC government agencies accountable for providing the Districts limited and non-English proficient (LEP/NEP) residents with greater access to and participation in their programs, services and activities. The Act identified the Office of Human Rights (OHR) as the agency designated to oversee and enforce the implementation of the law. OHR houses the Districts Language Access Program whose mission it is to provide oversight, central coordination, and technical assistance to covered agencies in their implementation of the law. To this end, the LA Program conducts extensive community outreach and education, provides training and technical support to 34 District government agencies with major public contact cover by the Act, and monitors the compliance of agencies in providing equal access to District residents regardless of the language they speak. Over 130 languages are spoken in DC, and OHR the top 6 most prevalent languages are Amharic, Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese. Through its enforcement authority, the LA Program works under the auspices of OHR to investigate complaints from residents who encounter barriers when accessing services. The Language Access program performs these functions in close collaboration with the Mayors Office on African Affairs (OAA), the Mayor's Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (OAPIA), the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (OLA), and with the DC Language Access Coalition. [Learn More] Position Description The Language Access Program is looking for dynamic and enthusiastic interns to join the Language Access team. For college seniors, graduate students and young professionals, this program provides a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life of immigrant communities in the District, and help over 34 District government agencies develop strategies to successfully serve the Districts culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Language Access Interns will work alongside the LA Director and the LA Program Specialist in a diverse, fast-paced and dynamic work environment. They will be involved in many aspects of the agencys day-to-day work, participate in the implementation of program activities, and provide critical support to the staff and partners. Interns share responsibilities for administrative tasks - beyond their unique work areas - to keep the office running smoothly and to ensure quality program support. Examples of Language Access intern duties will include conducting compliance assessments of agency frontline centers, researching best practices and policy recommendations, conducting multicultural community outreach, and event planning and coordination. OHR internships are unpaid unless otherwise noted. The ideal duration of internships is between 3 to 6 months. Internships may be extended depending on mutual agreement between OHR and the intern. Interns are required to commit to a minimum of 25 hours a week to be considered for the program. Qualifications & Desired Attributes Interns are selected on a competitive basis. The overall profile of the candidates we are looking for encompasses the following: A passion for public service and a commitment to serve the Districts LEP/NEP residents Excellent written and oral communication skills, research and report writing experience a plus Bilingual or multilingual interns strongly preferred (Spanish, Amharic, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese and French proficiency a plus) Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision Completion of a minimum of 2 years of full-time undergraduate studies Positive attitude and a friendly, professional demeanor Strong ties with civic groups, organizations and community- based institutions in the Districts immigrant communities Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel etc.) Good working knowledge of graphic design and layout preferred Flexibility to work a minimum of 25 hours per week and attend occasional evening and weekend events

To apply, please email your resume, cover letter and a writing sample to Language Access Program Specialist, Gretta Rivero: gretta.rivero@dc.gov