Volunteer/Intern

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Volunteers are our main task force at the Refugee Development Center! We typically schedule them for weekly two-hour shifts Mondays through Thursdays, from 1pm – 9pm. Volunteers also help with specialized sports, art, and music projects throughout the year, as well as participating as conversation partners in ESL classes.

All volunteers must complete background checks and attend a volunteer orientation here at the RDC. The dates of the next volunteer orientations are September 23rd from 5-8 and September 24th from 1-4; please bring the results from your background checks in to the orientation with you, and come prepared to sign up for a 2-hour weekly shift! If you are interested in a one-time volunteer opportunity, please consider signing up to be a conversation partner in one of our ESL classes.

The Center also offers 5-9 internships per semester. Candidates are encouraged to apply early, as spaces fill quickly. Interns at the RDC spend 50% of their time working on a specific project (youth program, ESL, etc.) and 50% of their time in direct service to refugees. Hours vary according to intern availability and university requirements (minimum 10 hours/week).

If you are interested in becoming an intern at the RDC, please email a cover letter and your resume to Shirin Kambin-Timms at skt.refugeedevelopmentcenter@yahoo.com, and also send a hard copy of the same to: The Refugee Development Center, Attn: Shirin Kambin-Timms, 122 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing, MI 48912.

Dates to apply for a spring semester internship are October 15- November 15. Dates to apply for a summer internship are March 15- April 15. Dates to apply for a fall semester internship are July 1- July 31.

If you are interested in more information about volunteering or becoming an intern at the RDC, please contact Nikki at nm.refugeedevelopmentcenter@yahoo.com.  We hope to see you here!

Welcome!

The greater Lansing area is home to a large population of refugees from all corners of the world. Many of these individuals have suffered grave injustices and lived in places where they had little or no control over their lives. They have lost family, friends, homes and entire communities.

When refugees come to America, they usually have little money, few contacts, and a limited understanding of America’s vast and complex culture. That is where the Refugee Development Center comes in.

The RDC is a hope-filled, welcoming place that provides refugees with the education, support, and language skills they need to succeed. Over the course of a year at the RDC, you will see:

* Adults from Somalia, Burma, and Cuba learning English together—some returning semester after semester because of the relationships and support they have found in their classes.

* Children of all ages getting homework help, going on field trips to the mayor’s office, or painting a mural on the wall of Christ Lutheran Church.

* Hundreds of volunteers of all ages, tutoring children, mentoring youth, and teaching English.

* People from America and around the world whose lives will be enriched by learning with new friends.

Thanks to our many volunteers and community partners, we are changing the lives of hundreds of refugees. We invite all those who wish to invest in our community’s future and contribute to newcomers’ experiences to get involved at the Refugee Development Center!

Refugee Development Center
122 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Lansing, MI 48912

Phone: (517) 482-2252
Fax: (517) 482-4719

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