Global

Center Global Volunteer Opportunities

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Center Global: Help LGBT Asylum Seekers & Refugees

Benefits of Sharing Your Expertise

Sharing your talents with Center Global and our program participants/asylum seekers is a chance to learn about your LGBTQI peers from areas including: Africa, Latin America, West Indies, the MENA Region, Eastern Europe, Russia and Southeast Asia. You’ll experience a diversity of cultures and customs while gaining life-altering experiences and meeting new Center Global folks.

There are multiple ways and time commitments for which you can volunteer – share your skills in as much or little time as you prefer.

Volunteering Categories:

  • Volunteer Coordination/Committee
  • Administrative Support
  • Fundraising
  • Media/Marketing/Communication
  • Programming
  • Legal Consultation
  • Housing Support
  • Community Outreach and Education

Each role includes coordinating with a Center Global leader to plan and execute each area.

Areas starting below in rank order of priority:

Volunteer Coordinator/Committee

Seeking an individual or committee to follow up with volunteer “leads,” track them in a volunteer database and ultimately match them to Center Global projects. We get one-five volunteer requests per month via our website and community outreach efforts. We can rely on the volunteer database to provide support during events, e.g., the monthly support dinner, annual reception/fundraising events and ad-hoc community outreach activities.

Administrative Support

Provide administrative support and liaison between the Center Global leadership and the DC Center staff in maintaining program participants’ files, scheduling meetings/events and support to program participants. This position requires working some regular hours at the DC Center.

Community Outreach and Education

Center Global’s mission also includes engaging the local community to raise awareness of international human rights transgressions for the LGBTQ asylum community.

We receive invitations to speak to community/faith groups and business organizations about Center Global’s work. We also conduct an Asylum 101 session to give volunteers an overview of the asylum-seekers’ process and challenges; plus we coordinate and sponsor a panel discussions to address the broader social issues impacting our asylum seekers – these are open to the larger DC community, not just volunteers.

There are opportunities to help organize, coordinate and lead both the Asylum 101 and the Panel Discussion/Town Hall format.

Fundraising

Center Global is funded by individuals’, community organizations’/faith communities’ and private businesses’ contributions. You can assist in building support for Center Global via:

  • A planning committee for the May 2019 Annual Reception at Room & Board on May 9th. We need an individual to lead this planning effort.
  • Working with our Grants Team to identify potential grant making organizations and prepare appropriate proposals
  • Design and implement a program for individual gift solicitation throughout the year.
  • Coordinate with Center Global partners to plan and execute marketing or fund-raising activities (i.e., a book-signing event).

Programming

Our Center Global community of LGBTQ asylum seekers is a hallmark of our organization. We help our participants to socialize, meet and work with one another in their new DC home.

We need volunteers who can:

  • Liaise with community, corporate sponsors, and faith leaders to plan topics and execute topics for the monthly Program Meeting that informs and educates our volunteer pool.
  • Develop community resource materials that help to educate program participants about their adjustment to life in America and living in the region.
  • Create a mentoring program to work one-on-one with individuals as they assimilate to their new life in the United States.

Media/Marketing/Communication

Coordinate with Center Global leadership to reach out to DC-regional and LGBTQ-focused media contacts to raise awareness of Center Global and the issues faced by LGBTQ asylum seekers.

  • Write or co-author articles for the media
  • Craft marketing content for the CG website
  • Develop content for our social-media channels – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

For More Information

For more information about these volunteer opportunities, please e-mail centerglobal@thedccenter.org.

 

LGBTQ Community Centers Support Fair Treatment for LGBTQ Asylum Seekers

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#queertranscaravan

Across the United States, people of all backgrounds are reacting with outrage in light of the Administration’s announcement that people who attempt to seek asylum outside of ports of entry will be denied the right to this protection.

On Sunday, November 11th, an estimated 78 LGBTQ asylum seekers reached the United States border in hopes of escaping persecution in Central America. Originally traveling with a larger group from Honduras, they left the caravan after experiencing discrimination and threats from others. Many LGBTQ migrants were denied food and access to showers by caravan members or local groups providing aid. “There was no physical abuse but there was plenty of verbal abuse,” a transgender woman told reporters, although she added it was nothing compared to the reality of living as a transgender woman in her home country of Honduras.

As they await the opportunity to begin the asylum process in Tijuana, the group continues to be targeted simply for being part of the LGBTQ community. They were met with anger from locals, who said they should have been warned by authorities that LGBTQ people would be staying in their neighborhood.

Members of the group originate from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador, and include a handful of children. Most plan to use their status as members of a persecuted class to request asylum in the U.S. as early as Thursday.

Unfortunately, the government reacts to their plight with armed forces and threats of denying entry to begin the asylum process, essentially signing their death orders. LGBTQ people flee to the U.S. because they cannot live safely in their home countries. They are in danger of persecution, prosecution, imprisonment, blackmail, discrimination, torture, sexual assault and in some cases, death based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

If LGBTQ asylum seekers are granted the opportunity to have their case heard, they can be detained until trial, which may take months. In detention centers, transgender women are often housed with men or placed in solitary confinement. LGBTQ immigrants report high rates of sexual assault and abuse during their time in detention, and proper medical care is often denied.

These asylum seekers have faced challenges and painful barriers in receiving equal treatment during every step of their journey. The undersigned LGBTQ Community Centers strongly support them in their quest for a better life and demand that they be treated fairly and equitably as they seek their legal right to asylum.

Adair Co. GLBT Resource Center

ALSO Youth

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center

Center on Halsted

Freedom House Detroit

Imperial Valley LGBT Resource Center

GALA LGBTQ+ Center

Gay City: Seattle’s LGBTQ Center

Latino Equality Alliance

LGBT Center OC

LGBT Center of Central PA

LGBT Center of Raleigh

LGBT Detroit

LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County

Los Angeles LGBT Center

North County LGBTQ Resource Center

Open Arms Rape Crisis Center & LGBT+ Services

Pride Center at Equality Park

Pride Center San Antonio

PRISM-Q, LGBT & Allies Resource Center

Proud Haven Inc.

Rainbow Center

Resource Center

Ruth Ellis Center

Sacramento LGBT Community Center

Safe Schools South Florida

San Francisco LGBT Center

Stonewall Coumbus

SunServe

Tacoma Older LGBT

The DC Center for the LGBT Community

The Pride Center at Equality Park

The Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico

Triangle Community Center

Your Help is Needed – How could you change someone’s Life ?

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Dear Friends – Center Global is once again reaching out to our network of individuals and organizations who are supportive of LGBT asylum seekers here in the Washington, DC area to address our ongoing need for housing assistance. We recognize the difficulty that many people have in providing long-term housing to individuals, but ask you to make a special effort to reach out to your friends and networks to help us meet these needs.

At this time we have requests for the following needs:

A student from Afghanistan who has applied for asylum and living in a hostile housing environment with people from his home country. He is currently in northern Virginia and seeking a safe place to live while waiting for his asylum application to be filed and then obtain employment authorization in about six months.
A young man from India, who recently graduated from college and worked for a year, is now facing housing issues because his employment authorization has ended and he is applying for asylum. He has been couch surfing for the past two months after also being in a hostile living environment and needs to find a stable place to live for approximately the next six months.
An asylum seeker from Egypt needs housing while also waiting for approval of his employment authorization.
A male from Guatemala who is in his late 20’s who now has work authorization needs housing for several months while he finds a steady job and saves the funds to move into independent housing.

We are also aware of several other individuals whose housing situations are less than ideal and would benefit from a more stable situation. Often we have short notice of the housing needs of our program participants.

Our needs are ongoing and evolving – any assistance you can provide is most appreciated. Since Center Global has begun to assist in arranging housing for asylum seekers, we have been very fortunate that community members have opened their homes to these individuals without charge. We recognize that this is a large responsibility for individuals to take on, but ask for your consideration. For those providing hosted housing we ask four things:

commitment of at least three months, with the expectation that it may be as much as one year (a trial period can be arranged, if preferred),
a private room (we have had individuals offer couch space and other arrangements, but have found that these arrangements are not workable in the long run),
reasonable accessibility to public transportation and
internet access.

There is no expectation to provide meals (although some hosts have been kind enough to assist with this) or other social supports; we work with the asylum seekers on these needs. If you would like more information about how you can assist with this please feel free to contact me directly.

Recognizing that you may not be able to assist directly with this request, we also ask that you share this request with your various networks, faith communities and social organizations. Please circulate the following announcement:

Housing Assistance Needed for LGBT Asylum Seekers – Center Global, a program of the DC Center for the LGBT Community, is seeking housing hosts for individuals who are seeking asylum from countries that are not safe for LGBT persons to live in. Housing hosts are asked to provide a private bedroom for a minimum of three months; while these individuals (in some cases couples) are going through the asylum process. These are individuals who are unable to access other government services and lack support from family and friends from their home countries, we have several persons in need of immediate housing. For more information please contact Eric Scharf with Center Global at escharfdc@gmail.com.

As always your interest and support in this work is most appreciated.

Job Opening at Dignity for All

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Dignity for All LGBTI Assistance Program
Dignity for All LGBTI Assistance Program
Dignity for All LGBTI Assistance Program

Dignity for All: LGBTI Assistance Program is seeking qualified applicants for a program officer position based in Washington, D.C. The job description is below.

Program Officer — Dignity For All: LGBTI Assistance Program
Location: Washington, DC
Position Summary

The Program Officer will support ongoing activities and projects of the Dignity for All: LGBTI Assistance Program which provides emergency financial assistance to human rights defenders (HRDs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) under threat around the world, with a focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) human rights. The Program Officer reports to the Program Manager for Dignity for All.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in political science, international relations, human rights, law, or related field, Master’s degree preferred
  • Minimum 3-4 years of experience in program management, including reporting ability and knowledge of funder account requirements
  • Must have experience working on human rights and LGBTI rights globally
  • Strong ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to communicate effectively in a second language preferred
  • Demonstrated experience in creating, managing and effectively reporting on budgets and program activities
  • Demonstrated ability to accurately track expenditures and maintain up-to-date financial tracking systems and all supporting documentation
  • Demonstrated ability to initiate, foster, interact, and maintain positive relationships with partners and stakeholders in diverse and cross-cultural environments, with sensitivity and a high degree of courtesy, discretion, tact, and professionalism
  • Proven knowledge of USG funding regulations is desirable
  • Proven ability to write effective proposals, reports, and procedures and maintain complete and accurate documentation
  • Detail oriented and highly organized
  • Excellent judgment in problem-solving and decision-making on a consistent basis
  • Ability to work with a small team in a fast-paced environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Assist with the design and implementation of all program aspects including work plan development, identifying consultants and sub-grantees, implementation of program activities, organizing trainings , international meetings and other activities, and monitoring and evaluation of program activities
  • Primarily responsible for reviewing budget proposals and reports by partners and communicating and ensuring financial compliance with partners
  • Develop effective professional relationships with partner organizations and assist them in increasing their capacity to meet objectives and more effectively implement their own programs
  • Substantially contribute to program reporting, including monthly and quarterly program reporting
  • As needed, manage own Dignity casework ensuring complete, accurate, and timely processing of cases; assist with overseeing cases for Dignity program being processed by other team members
  • Develop and maintain relationships with civil society, regional organizations, donor and diplomatic community, partners and grantees, policy community, other NGOs and think tanks as directed by supervisor
  • Conduct outreach to LGBTI human rights defenders and CSOs, locally, regionally, and globally
  • Cover Washington DC-based events pertaining to LGBTI human rights
  • Support and contribute to proposal writing activities, as needed, help identify new donors and partners, and draft narrative reports to funders
  • Negotiate and write contracts, grants, MOUs, LOAs, and other contractual documents, and ensure that the objectives and terms of agreements are met
  • As needed, contribute to FH publications and write web site content, press releases, briefings, policy papers, etc.
  • Other related duties as assigned

Interested candidates can apply by using the link below:

Apply for this job

Center Global Seeks Volunteer Social Worker

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Center Global Seeks Volunteer Social Worker
Center Global Seeks Volunteer Social Worker

Center Global, a program of the DC Center for the LGBT Community, seeks a Social Work volunteer to conduct psychosocial assessments, referrals and access to internal and community resources to Center Global program participants (specifically LGBT asylum seekers/asylees) who are experiencing personal difficulties. These will be individual interviews scheduled with the assistance of the Center Global leadership team.

Download the volunteer job description here:

Job Description – Volunteer Social Worker