Asylum Access Job Volunteer: Community Empowerment Advocate, Malaysia

Volunteer Community Empowerment Advocate (VCEA) Needed in Malaysia

Opening: Our upcoming intake is September/October 2018. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Remuneration: Please note that all Asylum Access volunteers’ positions are unpaid. We are happy to work with successful applicants to arrange for funding or school credits where available. The volunteer will be responsible for expenses incurred relating to obtaining their visa. Details and orientation on required documents and procedure in applying for visas will be shared with successful candidates.

Asylum Access Malaysia (AAM) is actively seeking applications from individuals passionate about social justice and refugee rights, and who are driven to make a positive impact in the lives of refugees living in Malaysia.

Volunteers will commit to a minimum of 6 months (up to 12 months preferred) in Malaysia where they will play a crucial role in supporting the Community Outreach Coordinator.

Following an intensive training program, each VCEA will play a key role in executing AAM’s Community Legal Empowerment tools by participating in and developing community legal empowerment initiatives, materials for Know-Your-Options workshops [focusing on aspects of health, livelihoods, education & general protection (arrest & detention, gender-based violence etc.)] and hand-outs for refugee community members, and by participating in other activities to reach and empower refugees where they are.

AAM fosters a collaborative team environment, to which all Volunteers will contribute. Volunteers help to support the full management of the office, which includes participating in direct office administration essential to the successful running of AAM operations. Volunteers may also be expected to facilitate community activities, present information about Asylum Access and refugee rights at community events and organize conferences and meetings.

Program HighlightsRefugee Rights Training and Professional Development – Throughout each VCEAs work with AAM, the organization will support VCEAs with a series of tools to maximize their programmatic work and their understanding of refugee empowerment. Regular training and debriefing sessions will offer VCEAs the chance to enhance and process their experience and share insight about cross-cultural issues.

Programmatic Work – Upon joining the team, VCEAs will be largely responsible for their own tasks. Throughout their time at AAM, they will receive support and mentorship from AAM’s leadership team. This will give VCEAs the practical experience of working directly with communities and seeing through projects from development to implementation and then evaluation.

Joining our Network – After working with Asylum Access, VCEAs will be connected with an ever-growing network of refugee advocates around the world, which circulates job openings, research opportunities, refugee news, and more. VCEAs will have access to the mentorship of AAM’s leadership team.

Position Responsibilities
VCEAs will be supporting the Community Outreach Coordinator with the following duties:
  • Developing and implementing community outreach and empowerment programs;
  • Developing tailored needs assessment and monitoring and evaluation tools;
  • Conducting needs assessments with refugee communities and evaluations of current initiatives;
  • Developing materials for Know-Your-Options workshops for refugees, working with interpreters to adapt materials, and deliver and/or participate in the workshops;
  • Conducting research on best practices for community empowerment and outreach initiatives;
  • Supporting and facilitating refugee-led initiatives to support access to human rights;
  • Developing and executing the client outreach strategy in collaboration with the AAM team;
  • Supporting the interpreter training program including assisting with recruitment, training, continuing professional development and well-being; AND
  • Assisting with the general administrative duties of the office, including helping to build administrative capacity within the office to meet demand as AAM grows.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Ability to commit to at least 6 months of full-time service-work;
  • University Degree (preferable specialization in Social Work or International Development);
  • Experience working in community empowerment work, ideally with asylum seekers or in human rights, as well as a strong passion for social justice work;
  • Experience working with vulnerable populations and/or survivors of trauma;
  • Community organizing experience an asset;
  • Experience working in a non-profit or legal aid setting with limited resources, ideally in the global south;
  • Experience living and working cross-culturally, preferably in Southeast Asia or other areas with large refugee populations;
  • Aptitude to successfully complete assigned tasks with minimal oversight while serving clients with the highest ethical standards;
  • Understanding of the importance of working as part of a team and the ability to follow the direction of AAM management staff;
  • An enthusiastic, positive and easy-going personality with demonstrated capacity to handle living and working in an ad-hoc environment where difficult situations and crises can develop at a moment’s notice; AND
  • Professional written and verbal English is required, knowledge of other languages (Burmese, Arabic, Tamil, Urdu, Somali, Farsi) will be very helpful.
How to apply:To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and a writing sample (between 2 - 3 pages) to apply@asylumaccess.org with the subject line “VCEA Application - Malaysia”. Applications will be received on a rolling basis. Applicants interested in the September/October 2018 intake, should apply as soon as possible. Please be sure to specify in your cover letter what makes you uniquely qualified to be a VCEA with AAM and how volunteering with AAM fits into your career plans. Please also state the dates that you expect to be available. 

Each year Asylum Access receives a high number of applications for a handful of VCEA positions and thus it is strongly encouraged that applicants submit polished and complete applications as early as possible.

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