Asylum Access is hiring a
About Asylum Access
Asylum Access believes it’s time to put power back in the hands of people who have been forcibly displaced from their home countries.
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. By supporting refugees as they assert their rights, we help restore their power and agency. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives.
Founded in 2014, Asylum Access Malaysia (AAM) is a locally registered NGO and a part of the Asylum Access family of organizations. AAM provides individualized legal services and community legal empowerment programming to refugees primarily in the Klang Valley, ensuring that they are able to access their rights and working to expand protections for all refugees. Through all their work, AAM engages in advocacy, promoting system change in the environment to ensure that all refugees in Malaysia are able to live safely, move freely, work fairly and rebuild their lives.
Department Description
The AAM Legal Services team provides legal aid to refugee clients through individualised legal assistance, community outreach and advocacy initiatives. The team works to identify refugees with heightened vulnerabilities, assist people and communities in navigating the UNHCR process, as well as provide information on their rights and responsibilities under certain domestic laws and policies. Through its legal empowerment activities and advocacy tools, the team seeks to encourage systemic change and increase access to rights for refugees in Malaysia.
Volunteer Program Highlights
Refugee Rights Training and Professional Development – Throughout the Volunteer Legal Advisor’s (VLA) work with AAM, the organization will aid VLAs with a series of tools to maximize their programmatic work and their knowledge of refugee law and practice. Regular training and debriefing sessions will offer VLAs the chance to enhance and process their experience and communicate their insights about cross-cultural issues.
Casework – Upon joining the team, VLAs will be largely responsible for their own casework, which they will see through preparation, submission and results. Throughout the life of a case, they will receive guidance and mentorship from AAM’s Legal Services team. This will give VLAs the practical experience of legal representation, client contact, research, brief writing, and other invaluable legal experience.
Joining our Network – After working with Asylum Access, VLAs will be connected with an ever-growing network of refugee legal advocates around the world, which circulates job openings, research opportunities, refugee news, and more
Position Description
Asylum Access Malaysia (AAM) is actively seeking applications from people who are passionate about social justice and refugee rights, and who are motivated to make a positive impact in the lives of refugees living in Malaysia. Volunteer Legal Advocates (VLAs) will commit to a minimum of six months and will be based in Kuala Lumpur. They will be directly supervised by the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Supervisor, and will work alongside other refugee advocates. Following an intensive training program in international refugee law and domestic laws and policies on refugees, VLAs will play a key role in executing AAM’s advocacy tools, namely:
AAM fosters a synergic team environment to which all VLAs will contribute. VLAs will also assist with direct office administration essential to the successful running of AAM operations. VLAs may also be expected to facilitate community activities, present information about Asylum Access and refugee rights at community events, and assist in organizing conferences and meetings.
Key Responsibilities
Preferred Qualifications
Required Qualifications
A positive personality with demonstrated capacity to handle living and working in an ad-hoc environment, where difficult situations may arise unexpectedly;
Professional written and verbal English is mandatory, while knowledge of other languages (Malay, Burmese, Arabic, Tamil, Urdu, Somali, Farsi, French) is a strong asset;
Basic working knowledge of Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Microsoft Office.
Note: Due to current visa requirements, only candidates who are locally based will be considered.
How to Apply
Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value the expertise of those who have experienced displacement, and encourage people with such lived experience to apply.
For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org_._