I loved being around young children and teaching them. We learned while playing, so i believe they enjoyed it a lot.
What I wish was different
I don't wish anything would have been different, except COVID becuase that is the reason they closed.
Advice
To have patience, it is not easy working with younger children, they might now always be attentive, but it is always fun and worth it.
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One person found this helpful
Community Partnerships Intern
June - September 2020 • Yonkers, NY
What I liked
I worked at WJCS Center Lane, so I was working with LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-21 in Yonkers, so the majority of them were kids of color. I loved spending time with the kids and bonded with quite a few of them, while also being able to facilitate discussions and do a lot of important hands-on work even though the internship was completely virtual.
What I wish was different
I wish that I could have gone to the actual facility in person and really met the kids, but I understand that that's not Center Lane's fault (an in person internship was definitely the way that this was intended) and just a result of the global pandemic.
Advice
Make sure you're taking care of yourself when you're doing intense work like this; this internship was definitely a combination of social work experience and learning how to facilitate conversations about race, trauma, abuse, anger/frustration, etc. (although not limited to this topic and we also had fun lighthearted discussions and joked around a lot too), so taking a step back to assert boundaries and prioritize your mental health in situations like these is important to your own wellbeing too.
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One person found this helpful
Intern
June - August 2019 • Yonkers, NY
What I liked
Working closely with youth
What I wish was different
I wish the organization was more trans inclusive
Advice
Use your voice in the space to improve the organization
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Intern
June - August 2018 • Yonkers, NY
What I liked
Everyone involved with the program (the staff, volunteers, and participants) are some of the best people ever. There was always something that needed to be done, and conversations about moving the program forward happened all the time. There was hardly a moment when I felt like I was just doing busy work, instead I constantly felt like the work I did pushed forward the program and helped participants and staff.
What I wish was different
I wish I had gone to the organization before starting the internship. It would have helped going into the internship knowing more about the previous events and the program participants.
Advice
Go in expecting that parts of all your skills (intellectual, physical, emotional) could be utilized at any moment.
