Opportunities From: Volunteer DBQ

Background: Iowa Legal Aid seeks applicants to fill AmeriCorps member positions for its regional offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo, subject to funding availability. Iowa Legal Aid provides free, high quality legal education, advice and representation to low-income and elderly Iowans with civil legal problems that most dramatically affect poor and vulnerable Iowans.

 

Responsibilities: Individual AmeriCorps members will help with various projects that can include: helping seniors, veterans, and low-income Iowans get legal help; enhancing our unified client intake system; increasing outreach to underserved veteran, minority, disabled and immigrant groups; advancing legal self-help education and financial literacy, helping seniors and people with disabilities get services to live independently, recruiting and managing volunteers; improving volunteer management practices; enhancing Iowa Legal Aid’s website; marketing and public relations activities.

 

Qualifications: We seek applicants who communicate well with individuals and groups, both verbally and in writing. Applicants should also have some or all of the following:

Background working with people who are low-income, elderly, victims of domestic/sexual abuse, from other cultural and/or ethnic backgrounds, and/or have disabilities; Bi-lingual verbal and written communication skills, in one of the languages most used by low-income Iowans, including Spanish, Bosnian, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and/or ASL; Ability to use computers to organize information, update website, and/or perform research; College or community college; Background in journalism, marketing, teaching, and/or volunteer recruitment/management.

 

Opening/Closing Date: When filled, with members starting between September 1 - November 30, 2016.

 

Salary/Benefits: Full-time AmeriCorps members receive a modest living stipend ($12,530 for 11 month, full-time term), student loan forbearance, child care benefit, and can receive an education award of $5,775. Some half-time, quarter-time, and minimum-time positions will also be available.

 

Applications: Submit letter of application, including geographic preference, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references to:

 

Gail R. Klearman, Managing Attorney – Iowa Legal Aid

1111 9th Street Suite 230

Des Moines, IA 50314-2527

gklearman@iowalaw.org

515-243-1198 ext 1678 or 1-800-532-1503

TTY/Relay Iowa: 1-800-735-2942

 

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request

Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Key responsibilities:

Answer, screen and direct incoming telephone calls. Assist walk-in clients. Other duties and tasks as assigned by supervisor(s).

Qualifications:

Ability to maintain confidentiality and follow established policies and procedures. Familiarity with the use of computers, phones and general office equipment. Pleasant, patient and dependable.

Training and Support:

Volunteer will be trained on Iowa Legal Aid’s computer and telephone systems as well as office equipment. Volunteer will receive support and supervision from Iowa Legal Aid’s staff and/or AmeriCorps members.

Time Commitment:

The time commitment will depend on the volunteer’s availability and Iowa Legal Aid’s needs.

Position Location:

Volunteer must be available to come into the regional office during business hours. Iowa Legal Aid offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo.

Position Benefits:

Gain experience working in a professional legal setting. Work with dedicated, passionate and collegial staff and volunteers. Positively impact members of your community.

 

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please visit our website at http://www.iowalegalaid.org/volunteers

For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, go to http://www.iowalegalaid.org/ and http://iowalegalaidfoundation.org/

Please note that all positions may not be available at all times or locations nearest you. For example, a particular position may have been filled or we may have limited capacity to engage volunteers with certain types of skills. Even though we cannot guarantee a placement to every prospective volunteer, we will do our best to match the applicants’ skills and interests with our present needs.

 

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request

Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Key responsibilities:

Assist with preparation of past due returns or amending returns. Assist with audits, audit reconsiderations, appeals or seeking collection alternatives. Provide client with basic recordkeeping tips and pointers to assist client in being more successful going forward.

Qualifications:

Certified Public Accountant / Enrolled Agent. Maintain confidentiality and provide representation consistent with professional requirements, Circular 230 and IRC 7216.

Training and Support:

Volunteers will have access to free on-line legal resources through probono.net and co-counseling. Volunteers will receive notifications of available trainings provided by Iowa Legal Aid. Volunteers will be covered under Iowa Legal Aid’s malpractice coverage.

Position Location:

Most cases are placed externally and service is provided by the volunteer at his or her regular place of business. Volunteers needing office space to perform volunteer activities or wishing to only work on in-house cases may make arrangements with the regional Iowa Legal Aid office. Tax Software is available in some regional offices.

Time Commitment:

The time commitment will depend on the volunteer’s availability and Iowa Legal Aid’s needs.

Position Benefits:

Work with dedicated, passionate and collegial staff and volunteers. Positively impact members of your community.

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please visit our website at http://www.iowalegalaid.org/volunteers

For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, go to http://www.iowalegalaid.org/ and http://iowalegalaidfoundation.org/

Please note that all positions may not be available at all times or locations nearest you. For example, a particular position may have been filled or we may have limited capacity to engage volunteers with certain types of skills. Even though we cannot guarantee a placement to every prospective volunteer, we will do our best to match the applicants’ skills and interests with our present needs.

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request
Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Iowa Legal Aid provides free, high quality legal education, advice and representation to low-income and elderly Iowans with civil legal problems.  Natural disasters (ice storms, flooding, tornadoes) occur quite often in Iowa with devastating consequences to those living in its wake.  Having an attorney available to address the critical legal needs of those affected by the disaster can make a huge difference in disaster survivors’ ability to recover from the disaster.  If you would like a meaningful, dynamic and professional volunteer opportunity, please consider volunteering with Iowa Legal Aid’s Coordinated Disaster Response Project.

 

Key responsibilities:

Assist with FEMA applications and appeals, SBA loans, insurance claims, disaster unemployment applications, food stamp applications, and other disaster assistance program applications. Assist with landlord-tenant and mobile home park issues, mortgage and foreclosure issues, real estate contracts, and other housing issues. Assist with home repair contractor issues, home repair and contractor scams, mechanic’s lien issues, municipal code enforcement issues. Assist with buyouts of flood damaged real estate, farm issues, bankruptcy, and income tax issues.

 

Qualifications:

Volunteers must be currently licensed to practice law in the State of Iowa or be eligible for emeritus attorney status. Disasters are unpredictable and the need for attorneys will depend on when and where the disasters happen.  Volunteers will need to be flexible and able to offer assistance on short-term notice in the event of a disaster.

 

Training and Support:

Volunteers will have access to training (in-person and webinar) on issue spotting common legal problems and substantive law trainings prior to any disaster. Volunteers will have access to free on-line resources through Iowa Legal Aid’s website, probono.net, and Iowa Legal Aid’s mobile app. Volunteers will have access to co-counseling in person, by telephone and by email. Volunteers will receive notification of available trainings provided at no cost by Iowa Legal Aid Volunteers will be covered under Iowa Legal Aid’s malpractice coverage.

 

Time Commitment:

The time commitment will depend on the scope of the disaster, the volunteer’s ability and Iowa Legal Aid’s needs.

 

Position Location:

Most cases are placed externally and service is provided by the volunteer attorney at his or her law office. Volunteers needing office space to perform volunteer activities or wishing to only work on in-house cases may make arrangements with a regional Iowa Legal Aid office. Iowa Legal Aid offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo. Volunteers may be needed to staff tables at Disaster Recovery Centers and local community and agency resource fairs.

 

Position Benefits:

Work with dedicated, passionate and collegial staff and volunteers. Positively impact members of your community.

 

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please contact Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-532-1275 (Jasmina Popaja) or at jpopaja@iowalaw.org

For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, go to http://www.iowalegalaid.org/ and http://iowalegalaidfoundation.org/

 

Please note that all positions may not be available at all times or locations nearest you. For example, a particular position may have been filled or we may have limited capacity to engage volunteers with certain types of skills. Even though we cannot guarantee a placement to every prospective volunteer, we will do our best to match the applicants’ skills and interests with our present needs.

 

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Background: Iowa Legal Aid seeks applicants to fill AmeriCorps member positions for its regional offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo, subject to funding availability. Iowa Legal Aid provides free, high quality legal education, advice and representation to low-income and elderly Iowans with civil legal problems that most dramatically affect poor and vulnerable Iowans.

Responsibilities: Individual AmeriCorps members will help with various projects that can include: helping seniors, veterans, and low-income Iowans get legal help; enhancing our unified client intake system; increasing outreach to underserved veteran, minority, disabled and immigrant groups; advancing legal self-help education and financial literacy, helping seniors and people with disabilities get services to live independently, recruiting and managing volunteers; improving volunteer management practices; enhancing Iowa Legal Aid’s website; marketing and public relations activities.

Qualifications: We seek applicants who communicate well with individuals and groups, both verbally and in writing. Applicants should also have some or all of the following:
1. Background working with people who are low-income, elderly, victims of domestic/sexual abuse, from other cultural and/or ethnic backgrounds, and/or have disabilities;
2. Bi-lingual verbal and written communication skills, in one of the languages most used by low-income Iowans, including Spanish, Bosnian, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and/or ASL;
3. Ability to use computers to organize information, update website, and/or perform research;
4. College or community college;
5. Background in journalism, marketing, teaching, and/or volunteer recruitment/management.

Opening/Closing Date: When filled, with members starting between September 1 - November 30, 2015.

Salary/Benefits: Full-time AmeriCorps members receive a modest living stipend ($12,530 for 11 month, full-time term), student loan forbearance, child care benefit, and can receive an education award of $5,730. Some half-time positions will also be available.

Applications: Submit letter of application, including geographic preference, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references to:

Gail R. Klearman, Managing Attorney – Iowa Legal Aid
1111 9th Street Suite 230
Des Moines, IA 50314-2527
gklearman@iowalaw.org
515-243-1198 ext 1678 or 1-800-532-1503
TTY/Relay Iowa: 1-800-735-2942

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request
Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats