Internship Series Archive
In my foundational social work placement I was placed at a subsidized housing building for persons with mental health issues, which provided both meaningful learning and personal growth for me despite my initial disappointment at not being placed in an …
Recently, a part-time case manager and a part-time interpreter began work at my agency. They are meant to work as a team, as the case manager did not have the necessary language skills, and the interpreter did not have the …
Each day at my internship, I learn something new. It sounds cliché, doesn’t it? “It’s different everyday!” And how many people who say that about their jobs really mean that? After all, how different can the same position really be, …
My role at my agency is effectively case management. I ensure that our youth clients are compliant with the required immunizations, physicals, dental and eye appointments set forth by the public school system. I research information on programs for those …
It’s been a bad winter here in Chicago. With highs in the 20s today, I wondered if any of my four clients would show up at the agency to be escorted to a dental appointment. Both families braved the sideways …
As I write, feet of snow sit on the ground outside my window, and more falls, peacefully, making me thankful for a dog at my feet and a mug of tea in my hand. I wrap my hand around the …
Last week was sort of a blur. I spent Sunday through Wednesday in a hotel conference center for the 2013 National Association of Social Workers IL Chapter conference. I had done some work on the event this past summer in …
I began my day Thursday at full staff meeting for the agency. It reminded me of my days in a tech start-up. A bunch of (mostly) young passionate people, crowded around a conference room table, mismatched chairs pulled from offices …
This is part 2 in Mary-Margaret Sweeney’s series Chronicling an MSW Internship. My father was first-generation American. His parents came from Ireland through Ellis Island, and settled in New Jersey. Because of this family history, I have held a long …
The trees outside my living room window are quickly going from green to gold. It’s a new school year. Even the years between college and graduate school, I thought each fall about the thrill of packing up a book bag …
