Cultural Orientation Training Specialist

At Catholic Charities, we value inclusivity, flexibility, and respect, believing that each employee should feel comfortable expressing their authentic selves while maintaining a professional and respectful work environment. We believe that embracing diversity and fostering a positive environment enriches our organization and enhances our ability to serve our community.

We are hiring a FULL-TIME(35 hours a week) CULTURAL ORIENTATION TRAINING SPECIALIST for our Immigration & Refugee Assistance Program (IRAP) with Catholic Charities of Buffalo.

Catholic Charities of Buffalo Offers:

• 12+ paid holidays for full-time
• 25 PTO days a year for full-time
• Flexible schedules
• Comprehensive health, dental & vision coverage
• Flexible spending accounts
• No cost Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 403B Retirement plan with employer contributions
• Training and development opportunities

Job Description:

Under the direction of the IRAP Community Outreach Supervisor, the Cultural Orientation Training Specialist supports the work of the Immigration & Refugee Assistance Programs, Reception and Placement Program as a critical resettlement team member by providing Cultural Orientation to newly arrived refugees according to the program funder requirements, utilizing an established curriculum. Cultural Orientation helps refugees understand American culture and beliefs and incorporates elements of American culture into their own culture, values, and beliefs. The Cultural Orientation Coordinator provides intensive structured information sharing sessions. The Cultural Orientation Coordinator provides the newly arrived refugee, who often has limited English language skills, information about life in the U.S., knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to adapt to their new lives and achieve self-sufficiency. Cultural Orientation sessions are supported with language assistance. This role will also include expanding and locating volunteers and community partners to participate in Cultural Orientation as well as in other areas of IRAP.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Schedules and delivers required Cultural Orientation topics and objectives as identified by the funder and defined in the Program Cooperative Agreement as well as regionally important topics.
• Establishes a Cultural Orientation schedule.
• Receives the Cultural Orientation referral and contacts the refugee to support/engage the client and partner with case managers to encourage attendance.
• Ensures that Cultural Orientation is provided prior to the completion of the R&P period for all adult case members.
• Provides population and topic specific, Cultural Orientation sessions.
• Arranges for appropriate interpretation to be provided at each Cultural Orientation session.
• Prepares an interpreter prior to each session by identifying key messages that must be communicated and understood by Cultural Orientation session participants.
• Conducts evaluation checking for refugee understanding and skill development and provides the refugee evaluation to the case manager for follow up and to collaborate on additional skill development.
• Develop group sessions on financial wellness, emotional wellness, employment, etc.
• Updates the Cultural Orientation curriculum to ensure all required compliance needs are met, ensuring relevance to the current population of new refugee arrivals.
• Recruits and trains volunteers to participate in presenting content of Cultural Orientation
• Recruits, trains and manages volunteers for IRAP immigration, employment and R&P programs
• Participates in monthly community partner meeting and The Refugee Partnership (TRP) monthly meeting serving as an advocate and educator to the community.
• Participates in staff team meetings where new arrivals and needs are identified and barriers to Cultural Orientation attendance are problem solved.
• Is aware of and supports the agency's mission, vision, and strategic plan.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Education: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

Experience: Experience collaborating with volunteers, refugees, and local service providers preferred.
Other:

• Ability to speak English and at least one additional language is preferred
• Ability to communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experience.
• Strong computer skills and knowledge of basic database functions

Physical Demands/Work Environment: The physical demands/work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, hear, stand, walk, use hands to type and/or perform light lifting. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Compliance: Adheres to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations including, but not limited to, those governing confidentiality, privacy, program, billing and documentation standards. All duties must be performed in accordance with CCFCS's corporate compliance & ethics program.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to prioritize assignments, plan, and complete work projects with minimal direction
• An ability to work efficiently and effectively and meet deadlines
• An ability to work under pressure
• Excellent verbal/written skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to demonstrate behaviors and attitudes which support agency mission, philosophy, and policies
• Willingness and ability to foster agency and program wide cooperation and teamwork through use of positive/constructive communication techniques
• Possession of a valid NYS Driver's license and use of a registered and reliable vehicle.

Apply today at: ccwny.applicantpro.com/jobs

Catholic Charities offers an array of programs that strive to empower individuals, children and families. Catholic Charities of Buffalo, NY, is the most comprehensive human service provider serving all eight counties of Western New York with dozens of programs at 40+ professionally staffed locations.
Catholic Charities serves more than 140,000 Western New Yorkers each year without regard to age, race, gender or religious affiliation. Catholic Charities programs include comprehensive counseling services for all ages, basic emergency assistance including operating 9 food pantries, Women Infants and Children nutrition program, behavioral health services, educational and job readiness services, services to older adults, immigration and refugee assistance and a variety of programs that address prevention and treatment of a number of family issues.