Immigration Support Services Associate (bilingual Spanish/English)

Bronx, NY, United States of America

About Masa

Masa partners with Mexican and Latino children, youth, and families in the South Bronx to develop strong learners and leaders who fully contribute to the broader community. We envision a community that is civically engaged, empowered, and educated.

Masa’s community-led, integrated model engages the entire family, grounded in a deep commitment to strengthening literacy, leadership, and power for Mexican, Central American, and Indigenous People. Masa fosters a culturally responsive learning community in which families engage with direct service and advocacy programs to dismantle barriers to success.

About the Immigration Support Services Associate 

The Immigration Support Services Associate reports to the Programs Manager, and will contribute to the Prose Plus Project (PSPP) and the Welcome New York initiative.  Launched in January 2023, PSPP provides pro se assistance in the form of community education, screenings, advice and counsel, and pro se application assistance to newly arrived migrants in New York City. PSPP is a collaboration of African Communities Together (ACT), Catholic Migration Services (CMS), Central American Legal Assistance (CALA), Masa, New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), UnLocal, and Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA).

The Welcome New York initiative, aims to provide navigation and case management services to immigrant families residing in New York City, including initial intakes, referrals to legal consultations and legal services, and referrals to and information on non-legal services.  

The Immigration Support Services Associate will provide administrative and programmatic support to Masa’s Pro Se Plus Project & the Welcome New York initiative. This role will focus on conducting program outreach, providing limited individual case management and referrals, including immigration and social services referrals, conducting immigration legal screenings, coordinating and providing Pro Se application assistance with the support of immigration attorneys, and providing community education and Know Your Rights Presentations.

This position is ideal for someone who is passionate about supporting Masa’s community of immigrant families and has a strong interest in immigration and social services.  A background in social work, commitment to social and family justice, experience in detailed record keeping, and a passion for working in partnership with immigrant communities is essential. Prior experience in providing immigration support services is highly desirable.  This position is full-time (40 hrs/week) and will run through June 30th, 2025.

Responsibilities

Pro Se Plus Project/ Welcome New York Initiative Implementation

• Attend all required trainings and stay abreast of changes in current immigration policies and laws that directly impact the work we are doing 
• Conduct program outreach, including creating marketing and communication material, attending community events, tabling, and presenting on Masa programs and resources
• Support in managing immigration interest form, waitists, and prioritizing cases 
• Conduct intake assessments and immigration legal screenings to assess immigration and other social services needs of community members 
• Work with Program Manager, Coordinator, and immigration attorneys to prioritize cases for Pro Se Asylum, TPS and/or Work Authorization Application Assistance clinics
• Advocate for community members by providing case management support and/or appropriate referrals to partner organization 
• Assist with translation/interpretation services, as needed
• Conduct community education and Know Your Rights presentations and assist in ensuring the most up-to-date information is reflected in our workshop and volunteer training material 
• Build and maintain partnerships with key organizations that offer culturally fluent services in demand within the Masa community, including becoming intimately familiar with all of Masa’s programs and services and conducting internal referrals
• Collect and enter data from phone calls/ workshops/ screeners/ consultations into a variety of platforms including Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, Google Sheets and Salesforce
• Attend Pro Se Plus Project meetings 

Record Keeping

• Maintain a high-quality and accurate record keeping of immigration support and law-related services provided to community members, including but not limited to entering detailed case management notes and referrals into our management information systems and contributing to funder reports, including project highlights, trends, and identifying best practices
• Keep all records and information organized and up-to-date in SalesForce, including resolving error reports to ensure integrity of data

General

• Support special projects and Masa events, as needed
• Develop flyers and other communications materials 
• Support and assist in cross-training volunteers supporting in Pro Se Application Assistance clinics 

Requirements

• Fluent in written and oral communication in English and Spanish is required
• B.A in social work, human services, or related field required
• 1+ year of immigration or legal assistant experience strongly preferred or a combination of 2+ years of experience working in case management with immigrant communities 
• Highly organized and self-managing; able to work independently but also collaboratively in a team environment to solve problems
• Highly motivated, effective communicator, creative with excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work
• Excellent communication and engagement skills to establish trust and rapport with community members
• Excellent computer skills; comfortable working with Excel
• Excellent judgment, and attention to discretion and confidentiality 
• Familiarity with social service agencies in the Bronx a major plus
• Prior trauma informed training a major plus

Physical demands

• This position is in-person at Masa’s office, and may require local travel to other settings at times (e.g. schools, Masa community events, etc.)
• Light to moderate carrying of program materials is required 
• Work schedule includes occasional evenings and weekends
• COVID-19 vaccination required

Compensation

$23 - $25 per hour (40 hours/week)