Immigration Interpreter

Name of agency and statement of purpose:  The Karen Organization of Minnesota’s (KOM) mission is to enhance the quality of life for Karen and other refugees from Burma in Minnesota by assisting refugees to settle, integrate and become increasingly self-sufficient while fostering cultural knowledge and understanding.

Title: Immigration Interpreter

Purpose/objective: Our office partners with an Immigration Worker from Arrive Ministries who assists KOM clients on Mondays with citizenship and green card applications. The volunteer will support the clients and the Immigration Worker by providing over the phone interpretation when needed. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Interpret for immigration appointments with Arrive Ministries Immigration Worker over the phone 
• Be on-call during the entirety of the volunteer shift on Monday 
• Maintain professional communication with KOM staff, Immigration Worker, and clients 

Volunteering Procedure: 

• On Friday, KOM Receptionist will contact the volunteer to discuss Monday’s appointments 
• Volunteers name and contact info will be given to Immigration Worker in connection with a client’s appointment 
• On Monday, Immigration Worker will call the volunteer during the volunteer’s on-call shift if the client requests an interpreter 
• Volunteer will stay on the call and interpret until the appointment is done or as long as needed (generally appointments last about 2 hours) 
• If sick, or an emergency comes up, volunteer will contact KOM Receptionist as soon as possible on or before Monday morning 

Time commitment: Available on Mondays for 2-4 hour shifts. Monday appointments are generally scheduled at 10:00am, 12:00pm and 2:00pm, and can last up to two hours.

Location: Remote – interpreting over the phone 

Qualifications: Fluent in English and one or more of the following languages: S’gaw Karen, Karenni, Pwo Karen, Burmese, or Thai. Language requirements depend on current clients’ language accommodation needs. 

Benefits: This position offers an excellent opportunity to learn about immigration case work related to citizenship and green cards. The volunteer will also gain interpreting experience over the phone.  

How to apply/contact: Please complete KOM’s Volunteer Application online or contact Suzanne Olive to receive a paper application. Volunteers will attend an interview to discuss their interest and learn more about the position.