Justice For All and Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago supported by partnership with Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) are looking for two full time fellows that will focus on engaging the immigrant and Muslim communities in the political/electoral process leading up to 2016 election and building power for the local organizations and community.
Paid Fellowships in Civic Engagement & Community Organizing in Immigrant Communities
The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) launches the 2016 class of the New Americans Democracy Project, a five month long fellowship program for young people who are interested in working hard while exploring a career in social justice and electoral/political work, receiving quality training, and contributing to the participation of new citizens in the democratic process. This fellowship will be in partnership with Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicagoand will focus on increasing engagement and voter participation primarily in Muslim Immigrant communities.
The program will run from July 11 to November 11, 2016, and will pay an educational stipend of $400 per week plus a $50 reimbursement for phone and mileage. Participants will receive training in the skills of community organizing, non partisan voter registration and “Get Out The Vote” (GOTV) efforts from the staff, members and allies of ICIRR. These allies include community based organizations with decades of experience in community and direct action organizing as well as national groups like Wellstone Action and the Center for Community Change, both national leaders in electoral organizing and training. Furthermore, ICIRR will provide training on immigration issues and working with immigrant communities.
Fellows will initially receive 5 days of paid training, supplemented with trainings throughout the length of the fellowship. Fellows will be placed with allied organizations in immigrant communities around the metroChicago land area. ICIRR staff as well as a mentor from the Fellow’s host organization will provide day to day supervision.
Fellows will work with their placement organizations (Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago) to develop a local volunteer recruitment strategy and carry out intensive voter registration campaigns, focusing on new citizens in immigrant communities. In the weeks leading up to the November 2016 elections, fellows will work with these volunteers to conduct GOTV activities. All work will be non partisan (not supporting a particular candidate or party), and will be carried under non profit 501(C)(3) guidelines.
We are looking for applicants who are willing to work hard and are passionate about social justice and democratic participation. Previous experience is not required, although we anticipate that successful candidates will have been active in their communities on issues that matter to them. Because fellows will be working with community volunteers and conductive extensive outreach, this will not be a 9-5 job, but will require commitment and flexibility. It will be essential to have a full time use of a car. We will pay mileage and specific job related expenses.
The summary of duties of the Fellow are to build power for a host organization and the NADP issue campaign by implementing an electoral program. They will work with local leaders to:
1) Recruit volunteers and develop other leaders;
2) organize an entire field program to reach their numeric goals—including attending to
Business, churches, community events, concerts, and other promotional activities,
3) Setup phone banking, and doortodoor canvassing;
3) Help to organize candidate meetings;
4) organize one large visibility event or Early Vote Action;
5) Organize a GetOutTheVote (GOTV) operation;
Applicants who speak languages of targeted immigrant communities are especially encouraged to apply: Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Polish, Hindi, Urdu, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalong, etc. Because of the rapid growth of immigrant populations beyond the city of Chicago, placements will be in Chicago as well as in some or all of the following locations: Waukegan, Wheeling, Glenview, Skokie, Schaumburg, Des Plaines, Hanover Park, Elgin, Carpentersville, Aurora, West Chicago, DuPage County,Joliet, Melrose Park, and Bridgeview.
To Apply:
1. Complete the form on the following page (http://icirr.org/nadpfellowship).
2. Email your resume to Celina Villanueva, NADP/Youth Engagement Manager, cvillanueva@icirr.org
3. Email email your resume to Tabassum Haleem at tabassum@ciogc.org, when you apply if you are interested in being a fellow specifically at “(Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago).”