Arabic-French speaking Cultural Mediator

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Following a first assessment conducted in January 2017 in Italy and another one in July 2017, several critical protection gaps were identified within the assistance provided to refugees and migrants in Italy: mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), assistance to unaccompanied children, information provision and legal support.

To respond to the identified gaps, IRC established a small presence in Italy. Programs in Italy include Refugee.Info, a web-based multilingual information platform, child protection programming targeting unaccompanied children and victims of trafficking, mentoring programs for the socio-economic inclusion of refugee youth, Women Protection and Empowerment (WPE), and education (social-emotional learning and healing classrooms).

To give continuity to the work started in April 2024 and consolidated in 2025, IRC Italia will work throughout 2026 in a joint effort with UNHCR teams to provide support to persons recently arrived in key disembarkation areas as well as in reception facilities and transit centers in Sicily (including Lampedusa) and Calabria.

Job Summary

The Arabic-French speaking Cultural Mediator will be part of a roving team composed by a Protection and GBV Expert and another cultural mediators. The team will assist newly arrived people in Lampedusa, both in disembarkation points and in the hotspot. The Arabic and French speaking Cultural Mediator will provide not only cultural mediation services but also direct support and information sessions with a high degree of autonomy. Under the guidance of the Protection and GBV expert, the candidate will contribute to the identification of Persons with Specific Needs (PSN), with a specific focus to GBV survivors and will facilitate their referral to the IRC/UNHCR teams present in other territories, to ensure a follow-up for the most vulnerable cases.

The French/Arabic speaking cultural mediator will also help with data collection and contribute to protection monitoring and assessment activities.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Under the guidance of the Protection and GBV Expert and in coordination with UNHCR teams, conduct outreach activities in key disembarkation areas and in Lampedusa hotspot to identify beneficiaries' needs and vulnerabilities with a specific focus on GBV survivors;
• Provide Arabic and French cultural mediation during information provision sessions, both in groups and in 1 on 1 meetings with people in key disembarkation areas and in the hotspot, especially with GBV survivors.
• Conduct group activities in the Safe Space to strengthen trust relationship between GBV specialized staff and clients, to give more in-depth information about GBV and AVCs service; workshop activities and decompression moments to listen, welcome, and alleviate any discomfort and discontent related to their stay in the hotspot, through a cultural mediation/survivors-centered approach.
• Ensuring protection presence in Lampedusa disembarkation areas following arrivals notification by the authorities in coordination with UNHCR.
• Maintaining protection presence in Lampedusa hotspot on a daily basis and for following up to disembarkation interventions, to ensure protection activities are conducted with newly arrived people.
• Under the guidance of the Protection and GBV Expert, deliver up-to-date and accurate information on rights and responsibilities to the newly arrived persons, with a focus on the right to access asylum procedures prioritizing women, children and families, and using multilingual informative materials developed by UNHCR;
• Provide information to newly arrived persons on the available services according to their specific needs, especially AVC and 1522 services to GBV survivors;
• Support the Protection and GBV Expert in conducting case management in case of identification of vulnerabilities, including GBV disclosure and support in accessing available services on site or outside Lampedusa.
• Support the Protection and GBV Expert in timely and adequate referral for specific services, among which AVCs, sexual and reproductive health services (which also includes identification and referrals of cases of women who want to undertake abortion urgently/upon arrival), anti-trafficking agencies, if feasible, in light of variable average time of stay in the hotspot before transfer.
• Provide feedback on the information materials to the Protection and GBV Expert in an effort to constantly adapt them to the needs of newly arrived people;
• Support the Protection and GBV Expert in the delivery of psychological first aid (PFA) as needed;
• Support the Protection and GBV Expert with updating the service mapping developed by the UNHCR team;
• Support protection monitoring activities by gathering the relevant data;
• Attend capacity building activities as needed;
• Any other task assigned by the line manager.

Reporting Lines
Position directly reports to: Protection and GBV Expert, IRC Italy

Expected Travel
This position will be based in Lampedusa.

Requirements:

• Fluency in spoken and written Arabic and French, good command of Italian.
• Previous experience in cultural mediation/interpretation strongly preferred.
• Previous experience in providing information sessions to migrants and asylum seekers.
• Good knowledge of the Italian legal system linked to the international protection procedure.
• Previous experience in working with GBV survivors and (presumed) victims of trafficking;
• Previous experience in delivering psychological first aid and basic psychosocial support;
• Good knowledge of the survivor-centered, trauma-informed approach, child-centered approach;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook); ability to use the internet and other digital tools for data entry, research and problem-solving purposes.
• Valid driver's license and access to a personal, insured vehicle.
• Predisposed to teamwork, problem solving, ability to create a proactive environment.
• Excellent communication and relational skills.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact, and diplomacy

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.

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