United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB) is Seeking Applicants to Serve as Advisors
August 2, 2023
The United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB) is currently accepting applications for its second cohort of Advisors. Those selected as Advisors serve a single three-year term. Individuals with direct lived experience of forced displacement are encouraged to apply for consideration to become part of USRAB.
What is USRAB?
The United States Refugee Advisory Board was established by Refugee Congress (RC), Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), and the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University (ISIM) as a self-governing initiative to ensure that forcibly displaced people have a meaningful and equitable role in influencing policy-making processes across the global policymaking fora. This includes engagement with relevant bodies of the United States Government, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), civil society groups, and refugee-led organizations. USRAB provides a transparent and accountable mechanism for meaningful participation in multilateral settings, and ensures that the interests, perspectives, knowledge, and experiences of forcibly-displaced people are consistently given an influential voice on issues regarding themselves and other forcibly displaced populations.
What are the roles and responsibilities of an USRAB Advisor?
USRAB Advisors serve for a single three-year term, which starts on September 1, 2023 and ends August 31, 2026. The estimated time commitment for serving as an Advisor is 5 to 15 hours per month, not including the mandatory USRAB Training Program described below.
Advisors are expected to attend and participate meaningfully in required meetings – which can occur during and/or outside regular business hours.
Advisors must be available to attend the five-day USRAB Training Program (UTP), which takes place in-person in Washington, DC, October 2-6, 2023.
Advisors are expected to provide input into the goals, priorities, and functioning of USRAB, and are expected to meaningfully contribute to project-based work that advances the mission of USRAB and participate in task-specific sub-committees.
To help inform USRAB priorities, Advisors are expected to participate in community consultations and engagements with members of forcibly displaced communities across the United States. Advisors must have the ability to travel within the US and internationally for additional meetings, convenings, and training.
While being a USRAB Advisor is a volunteer position, USRAB-related travel costs and expenses will be covered by USRAB with prior approval.
What are the benefits of being an USRAB Advisor?
Advisors will work with USRAB’s Executive Committee to determine priorities in multilateral and global ecosystems as they impact people with forced displacement.
Advisors will assist in developing and refining guiding principles for equal and meaningful participation of forcibly displaced people at the policy and strategic level.
Advisors will collaborate with global leaders who have forced displaced experience.
Advisors will have opportunities to network with U.S. government entities, UN officials, civil society stakeholders, and powerfully share their lived experience and professional expertise in impactful settings.
Advisors will also receive advanced orientation and training in national and international policy through the USRAB Training Program.
What is the USRAB Training Program (UTP)?
Advisors who are selected to join the second cohort of USRAB will be required to attend the USRAB Training Program (UTP), a week-long in-person intensive training at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
The USRAB Training Program (UTP) is a signature tailored educational program delivered by Georgetown University’s Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM). The UTP offers background on normative international networks, global governance, key actors, advocacy tools and policy-making processes, giving Advisors an advanced orientation to policy advocacy in the global sphere.
The UTP takes place from Monday, October 2 through Friday, October 6, 2023.
How are USRAB Advisors Selected?
USRAB is committed to centering and ensuring the participation of individuals who have direct experience with forced displacement. We will give careful consideration to equity and diversity in the selection of Advisors, including consideration to country of origin, gender identity and expression, subject-matter expertise, organizational affiliation, U.S. state of residence, and year of arrival (if known) to the US.
To qualify for consideration as an USRAB Advisor, an individual must have direct lived experience of forced displacement.
Preferred qualifications for applicants include:
Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the interests and concerns of diverse forcibly displaced populations.
Demonstrated professional expertise in areas relating to forcible displacement, which could include (but is not limited to): refugee-related policy, resettlement, asylum, complementary pathways, climate change, internally displaced persons, gender-based violence, asylee and migrant services, education, mental health, accessibility rights, food security, the U.S. southern border, LGBTQIA+ refugees, etc.
Previous experience leading and engaging in project-based work to bolster the mission and work of government agencies, NGOs or civil society groups.
Previous experience serving on boards, committees and or other similar advisory roles.
Previous experience engaging with government agencies and NGOs in policy and/or advocacy or organizing work.
Previous experience in international advocacy and policy in the international refugee regime.
A demonstrated commitment to and experience with community engagement and advocacy and leading project-based work.
Where can I learn more about the application process?
USRAB will be providing three information sessions on the USRAB Advisor application process, where interested applicants can ask questions and receive guidance. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend one of the following sessions by registering with the Zoom link that corresponds with the dates below. Participation in these information sessions is optional.
Date and Time: August 9, 2023 from 11am-12pm ET
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89495155677?pwd=VzJlYk5nZURrME1TUWlmdSt6TkVnZz09
Date and Time: August 10, 2023 from 6pm-7pm ET
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85305472368?pwd=aythOWRtTmR2Y0tBaE9wRC9ZZkhnZz09
Date and Time: August 11, 2023 from 4pm-5pm ET
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81850756043?pwd=L042WHRuRGVNSngyNEZXQTRPUE90dz09
Where can I apply?
Applicants can apply for the USRAB Advisor role through this form.
What is the Submission Deadline?
The deadline for submission is by 5:00pm (ET) Thursday, August 24, 2023. The application process will require at least 30 minutes to complete. Incomplete and late forms will not be considered.
When will applicants be notified of the selection decision?
Advisors who are selected will be notified after September 10, 2023.
Who should I contact with questions?
Please direct questions regarding the Advisor application to the USRAB Project Manager: Nga.Vuong.Sandoval@refugeecongress.org.
