This internship allowed me to meet and connect with people from around my community who would help me in my future endeavors. More importantly, at SafeNest, I have been offered a job position after I finish my internship there. I would work with my community and engage with the youth about healthy relationships, domestic and sexual violence, and many more advocacy programs. Although my internship does not focus on what I would like to do in the future because it is more community based rather than clinical, I believe that it is a significant first step as a new graduate and would greatly benefit my resume. Moreover, there is substantial room to grow at SafeNest due to having many other programs, such as on-scene crisis support and a suicide hotline. All the courses I engaged at UNLV for my Family Studies minor have prepared me well for this internship. Most notably, those courses emphasized relationships, which are helpful at SafeNest since we provide a healthy relationship program for the youth.
As I previously said, although this particular position at SafeNest is not in my area of interest as to what I want to do in the future, I do believe it is an excellent job as a new graduate. Apart from having the necessary qualifications, I also think that I am experienced enough due to the courses I took at UNLV emphasizing families and relationships and courses emphasizing trauma, domestic violence, and suicide. This job position would help me strengthen my communication, trauma-informed practice, and professional skills that I need for my end-goal job (plus I get to attend fun events such as visiting the Lion Habitat here in Las Vegas - see the picture below!). In addition, because I am interested in many areas of Psychology and Social Work, this job can also open many more opportunities for me in the future.
My advice for incoming interns is always to communicate, be open-minded, and be ready for whatever opportunities come your way. I came to this internship not expecting much, as this was the first internship I had ever completed. Being able to participate with an open mind and a lot of disposition has allowed me to engage in many areas of this organization, even though they weren't necessarily my area of interest; because of this, I was able to gain much knowledge and experience from it.
Hi Patricia!
Congrats on the job offer! I have heard a lot about the work done by shelters such as SafeNest and I commend you for your willingness and dedication to helping victims of domestic violence through their programs. Good luck with your new job!
Additionally, I agree with your advice for incoming interns - keeping an open mind and being able to communicate effectively are crucial aspects of any position, especially new roles.