"Summers are normally filled with beach days, summer jobs, vacations and spending time with friends," says Joanna Suppa. Joanna's summer was very different. "I worked with children of all ages who are in need, whether it be from emotional or physical abuse by their parents." Joanna was a child care worker who assisted with informal crisis intervention and counseling in the Family Ties Program of Hope for Youth in Amityville, NY. "This group home is not permanent, but rather a safe haven for children while court hearings are determining whether they will go back to their parents or to a foster home." She continues,"It is even clearer to me that nothing can compare to the feeling of knowing you helped another. And even through the stress, I still at the end of the day want to do this." Joanna plans to use the skills she learned to "continue my studies and be a great social worker."
Jessica Liber's summer at The Child Abuse Prevention Center in Poughkeepsie was as challenging as Joanna's. Jessica worked with children and families during supervised parent visits, taught parenting classes and made home visits. "I'm seeing things I've never seen before. Each and every story is unbelievable. Many come from homes where drugs or abuse have messed up their lives." Jessica was an integral part of a supportive team. "They were more than supervisors. They were mentors," she says. "I was able to see how a real team works together and the special relationships the workers have with their clients. I can't wait to have that." (At the end of Jessica's internship, she was hired to continue as a part of that team.)
A nursing major with a minor in
psychology, Juliet West (pictured at right) interned in
Poughkeepsie in the FSI Teen Parents
Program, designing and implementing
a five-session birth preparation and new
baby care workshop for pregnant teens
and their mates. She also counseled a new
parent on new baby care. Juliet hopes to continue her work in the schools, teaching
pregnancy awareness and prevention to
pre-teens.
Nicole Fredericks also interned with fragile children this summer at The Children's Home in Poughkeepsie, assisting during after school activities, homework time, dinner hour and bedtime routines. The Children's Home provides therapeutic residential care while helping children and their families develop and implement viable living plans.
Gabrielle Bolen interned with Orange County Safe Homes in Newburgh, interacting with abused women, participating and running support groups and house meetings, employing one-on-one active listening skills, accompanying women to court and trial hearings, and attending to hotline calls, client intakes and paperwork."After doing this internship, it is clear to me this is truly what I want to do," she says.
This fall Jestina O'Bryant is training for her new job as a family support worker for Newburgh Healthy Families Program of Occupations, Inc. Jestina will educate parents about child development and connect families to services they need, like prenatal care, emergency housing, medical providers, educational opportunities and daycare facilities.
Social Science
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