MAJOR: Psychology
CLASS OF (GRADUATION YEAR):Senior, class of 2016
NAME/ LOCATION OF INTERN SITE: My internship was at the Anoka County Juvenile Center in the Non – Secure Program
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES: Some of my responsibilities included supervising male and female adolescents ages 10 – 15 in group building activities, behavioral skill building sessions, indoor and outdoor activities, and during dialectal behavior therapy sessions. I also was a back up to staff at any times of need, including the possibility of having to restrain one of the youth.
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THIS INTERNSHIP?: I found out about the internship through networking. One of my dad’s friends is the Program Coordinator at another branch of the facility, and put me in contact with the program coordinator of the non – secure program.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST FAVORITE PART OF THE INTERNSHIP: My favorite part of the internship was getting to work with such a diverse group of males and females and establish meaningful connections with each of them. I really enjoyed getting to know the youth and their backgrounds, as well as being able to help them and make a difference for them.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE INTERNSHIP:
The most challenging part was trying to relate to some of the youth. Many of these adolescents had experienced such serious trauma in their young lives that it became tough to wrap my head around some of the situations these youth had been through.
WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST LESSON(S): The biggest lesson I gained from this experience is to always be thankful and never to judge anyone because a lot of times we don’t know what a person has been through.
ADVICE TO OTHER STUDENTS PREPARING FOR AN INTERNSHIP: The advice I have for other people looking for an internship is to make the best of it and make sure you engage in self-care throughout your internship and take time for yourself during this busy time.