Volunteer Legal Advocates

Innovative Human Rights NGO Seeks 

Volunteer Legal Advocates for Asylum Access Thailand

About Asylum Access

We are human rights advocates who support forcibly displaced individuals and communities as they reclaim their rights, agency and power. 

Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work legally and go to school. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity and autonomy, and equips them to make choices about their own lives.

Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organizations advocate to make human rights a reality for refugees throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our national organizations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between us and our clients. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyze and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.

Department Description

The Legal Services Team at Asylum Access Thailand (AAT) plays a crucial role in providing comprehensive legal support and assistance to refugees in Bangkok and Mae Sot, Tak. The primary responsibilities of this team include:

• Ensuring refugees have access to justice and protection: The Legal Services Team works to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of refugees by facilitating their access to legal remedies and safeguards.
• Supporting refugees during the Legal Status processes, including, Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and National Screening Mechanism (NSM) processes: The program provides essential guidance and support to refugees navigating the complex RSD and NSM procedures, helping them navigate the system effectively.
• Informing refugees about the legal status process, including but not limited to RSD and NSM: The Legal Services Team is responsible for educating refugees about the processes and their rights and options within this framework.

The Legal Services Team is overseen by the Executive Director and includes the Bangkok team of Legal Status, Protection, Interpreter and Paralegal, Screening and Intake, and Volunteer Legal Advocates; and the Mae Sot team of Protection. 

Position Description

Asylum Access Thailand (AAT) seeks well-prepared candidates with a passion for social justice and a strong interest in legal services for 3 months to a year as a Volunteer Legal Advocate position based in Bangkok, Thailand.

VAs working with the legal team are primarily responsible for the provision of legal services to their refugee clients. VAs will be placed in the Legal Services (LS) Team and will provide  counselling to refugee clients on the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). 

The exact scope of legal information, advice, and counsel provided to a refugee client will vary depending on the needs of the client and the local situation, but in general, a VA’s responsibilities include the following:

Key Responsibilities

RSD

• Advise refugees on the RSD process and assist them in understanding their rights;
• Support clients after receiving RSD rejection, explaining the reasons as specified by UNHCR;
• Join meetings related to RSD/legal services;
• Conduct research on “country of origin” situations and refugee law jurisprudence;
• Review and revise existing RSD materials; and
• Assist with the general administrative duties of the office, including helping to build administrative capacity within the office to meet demand as AAT grows.

Reporting to: 

ARPR Project Coordinator

Minimum Qualifications

• Interest in international human rights and/or refugee rights and/or related topics.
• Ability to work with diverse individuals and groups. Candidates should be culturally sensitive.
• Working knowledge of English is required, knowledge of other languages (Chinese, Urdu, French, Farsi, Tamil, Arabic, Khmer, Vietnamese Kinh, Hmong) is very helpful.
• An easy going personality with the demonstrated capacity to handle living and working in an ad-hoc environment where difficult situations and crises can develop at a moment’s notice.
• Aptitude to successfully complete assigned tasks with minimal oversight while serving clients with the highest ethical standards.
• Understanding of the importance of working as part of a team and the ability to carefully and faithfully follow the direction of AAT management staff.
• Ability to commit to at least 3 months of work.
• Basic working knowledge of Gmail, Google Drive, MS Office and related tools (Docs, Sheets, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in Law (specialization in International Law or International Refugee Law an asset).
• Experience working in direct clients services, ideally with asylum seekers or in human rights, as well as a strong passion for social justice work.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations and/or survivors of trauma.
• International experience living and working cross-culturally in developing countries, preferably in Southeast Asia. 
• Experience working in a non-profit setting with limited resources, ideally in the global south.

Compensation

This is a full time or part time, unpaid volunteership.

Hours and Location of Work

This position will require a minimum of 16 hours of work per week up to 40 hours per week. Remote work is a possibility but will be negotiated on an individual basis. Schedule and hours are somewhat flexible and official committed hours and work time will be formalized between the selected candidate and the position supervisor.

Application Instructions 

1. Upload your resume and cover letter to BambooHR. In your cover letter, please describe your reasons for applying, relevant qualifications, and how you learned about the position.
2. Please specify the availability and duration of your volunteer work and the proposed start date in the application. (Example: Available to volunteer xx hours a week for xx months starting DD/MM/YYYY)
3. Early applications are encouraged. Shortlisting and interviews will be arranged as applications are submitted.

Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org