Archive for the 'Human Services Internships' Category

Jackie Paplham, from Kewaunee, Wisc., is in her fifth year at UW Oshkosh and will be graduating this May. She is majoring in Human Services with minors  in Psychology, Women Studies and Social Justice with an emphasis in Prejudice and Discrimination. Follow along as she shares her internship experiences during her final semester at UW Oshkosh.

The Human Services Leadership program has provided significant contributions to my personal and professional growth and identity.  My advanced internship’s at CHAPS Academy and Dispute Solutions provided exceptional learning environments and experiences.  These placements allowed my skills to be demonstrated, hone and created while crafting sentimental memories that have redirected my future.

CHAPS and Dispute Solutions fostered an environment where human behavior and interaction could be observed and understood through a cognitive, humanistic, behavioral, legal and ethical multicultural and environmental perspective.  I observed how staff interacted with clients and community members, and how clients and community members interacted with staff.  This allowed me to critically think about the approaches taken and evaluate strengths and weaknesses.  Through these placements I learned the power of stories.  Stories can hinder and or liberate people.  Reflecting upon client’s stories has placed my own life into perspective.  Observing what staff does on a daily basis taught me the importance of balance and boundaries.  Creating a healthy balance between work and life is crucial to maintain optimal performance in each.  On the other hand, constructing healthy boundaries with clients is a skill I was challenged to refine.

CHAPS and Dispute Solutions serve those who are going through crisis situations in their lives.  I was challenged to create healthy boundaries with those clients.  I developed rapport and then created avenues for self-empowerment with the clients.  For example, I implemented and presented an empowering presentation to the Hope Lives program.  I honed my responsive listening and problem solving skills at both placements.  I designed and executed a fundraising event that generated $400 in profit for CHAPS.  I was able to demonstrate diverse communication skills using the creative arts.  For example, communication was created through the use of songs, dance, cooking, animals and outdoor activities.  Most importantly I learned to understand the power of silence.  Generating a unique lesson, I used silence as responses.  I practiced intervention strategies and crisis management skills in high pressure situations.  I combined patience, determination and persistence to troubleshot issues.

My professional experiences affect my personal growth and my personal growth affects my professional experiences.  Appreciating the diversity of individuals is extremely valuable.  I believe individuals communicating their stories create appreciation.  One realizes we are more alike than different.  It is in helping others, we help ourselves.

I made significant contributions to my placements just as they made significant contributions to my growth and identity.  My conversations about my future have changed significantly.  The skills developed and honed in my advanced internships identified the future I want for myself in the Human Services profession.  I discovered how much I value my role in leadership positions and relationships with clients.  I thrive off the challenge to demonstrate multilevel resourcefulness and advocacy.  These factors I discovered through CHAPS and Dispute Solutions will be the direction I take in my future.  After graduation I will be moving to Thailand to teach English!  Once I return, I will pursue a job in the human services profession and continue my education in graduate school.

Senior Human Service Leadership major, Loryn Cornette, of Greenleaf, blogs about her final semester at UW Oshkosh. Loryn juggles being a full time student, holding the Treasurer position of the Human Services Organization on campus, having an on campus job in the Undergraduate Academic Resource Center as a Peer Advising Liaison, and working 21 hours a week at her advanced internship placement at UW-Fox Valley’s Student Services Office.  Follow Loryn’s blog posts as she writes about her final experiences on campus before commencement in May.

As the semester nears towards the end, so does my 280 hour Advanced Internship placement at the University of Wisconsin Fox Valley working with the TRiO – Educational Talent Search program within the Student Affairs Office.  I have truly gained an enormous amount of information regarding the grant TRiO program, the students the program serves, and various universities and colleges around the state regarding admission processes and campus life.

My main project within the TRiO program was working with TRiO alumni students at UW Fox Valley.  I had a core group of 24 alumni students that I was able to meet with regularly throughout the semester. The improvements and results from these students are outstanding and I am very impressed with the progress.  It has been a great experience working with students at UW Fox Valley and being able to act as a support system for the students.

Another project included coordinating a Pre College Summer Program booklet for the Kaukauna and Menasha school coordinators to hand out to students. I compiled a booklet of Wisconsin universities and colleges around the state that conducted summer pre college programs for middle and high school students. The school coordinators held a Pre College Parent Night for parents of both districts to attend to learn more about the programs and to get more information.

Between working with students and completing projects at UW-Fox Valley, I also chaperoned many different field trips throughout the semester.  Field trips to UW-Whitewater, UW-Milwaukee, Marquette University, Discovery World, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, UW-Fox Valley, and UW Oshkosh kept me busy throughout my internship hours as well. It was interesting to learn about different universities and colleges around the state and what they have to offer to students.

I also had the opportunity to take part in the Regional Placement Testing as an Administrator for two Saturday’s in April. I administered a room of 70 students, which was the largest testing room for both days. This was a great experience because I was able to get comfortable speaking to a large audience and monitoring a large group of people. This opportunity has only helped prepare me for next fall as I help assist with a 1 credit business course with Career Services to a lecture pit of 120 students.

Odds-and-ends projects and events have filled various hours throughout my time at UW Fox Valley. I was fortunate enough to attend two conferences held at UW Fox regarding higher education, along with various speakers and authors that visited the campus.  There was never a time within my 280 hours that I felt bored or had nothing to do. My 280 hour Advanced Internship Placement was one of the best opportunities I had had thus far in my education career.

Alli Thompson, from Wisconsin Rapids is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh majoring in Human Services, with a minor in History.  At the UW Oshkosh she juggles four classes while serving as president of the Human Service Organization along with being a member of  National Society of Leadership and Success and Golden Key International Honor Society. Follow her as she blogs about her final semester at UWO and her internship experience at Winnebago Mental Health Institute.

It is April already?  Where did the last month go?  It is crazy how fast this semester is going.  I can say with full confidence that the WMHI is a perfect fit for me.  Like I said in my previous post,  I am constantly learning.  I feel like every day I learn something new about mental illness or about WMHI itself, which is makes coming into WMHI every day fun.

A quick overview of the last month: I continued to work with the Occupational Therapist staff, which consisted of me going up on the units.  During my time spent on the units I worked with patients on social interactions with others by partaking in a morning coffee group, playing cards such as Uno, Skipo, Phase 10 and participating in daily exercise, creativity and personal growth groups.  My time spent on the units is always different but also a ton of fun.  This month I also had the opportunity to go down to the Waterwood School.  This was a learning experience, because it was a different than what I had originally expected. I learned that many of the students have drug abuse issues and every day for an hour they partake in ADOA class.  The teachers are wonderful individuals who truly care about the schools and work hard to prepare the students for their future outside of the WMHI.

Lately I have not been on the units or at the Waterwood School, because I have been focusing my time down at Volunteer Services  working on our Volunteer Recognition event.  My supervisor Linda has given me full authority to make the event my “baby”.  Our theme is “Volunteers are Recipe for Success” with green and red colors.  I never realized until this internship how hard and time consuming it is to put on event like this.  I have had to go out silicate to local businesses, call them up to make see they had time to consider our donation request.  My supervisor and have come up with ideas for the volunteers gift, because I have made up a bingo game, which consisted of me thinking of 36 questions, because it is somewhat different than a typical bingo.  This game asks questions and then you have to find the answer on the board in the form of picture.  I have also typed up recipes for the volunteers to take home.  These recipes are all recipes used frequently at WMHI as meals and are considered staff and patient favorites.  On top of Volunteer Recognition we have spent a lot of time preparing for WMHI’s 140^th Birthday.  For this we are supporting together poster boards of information, playing the bingo game I have created, and opening the museum for two days and for longer hours.  So, for anyone interested come visit the WHMI Julianne Farrow Museum on Tuesday April 23 and Thursday April 25 between 1-6 p.m.  to learn more about WMHI and see what it once was to what it is now.

On top of my internship I have still have my classes and balancing my time between Human Service Organization, National Society of Leadership and Success and Golden Key.  I am constantly busy and feel like at times I never have time to breathe, but like I said early I love my internship which gets me excited to go bed at night and start the day all over again.  This semester I have learned a lot about myself and have had great opportunities to work on my professional skills such as time management, communication, and leadership abilities.  As busy as I am would not trade it for anything. But sadly, it is getting late and I am rather tried, one thing this internship has done to me is make me morning person and no longer an night owl! Stay Tuned!

Jackie Paplham, from Kewaunee, Wisc., is in her fifth year at UW Oshkosh and will be graduating this May. She is majoring in Human Services with minors  in Psychology, Women Studies and Social Justice with an emphasis in Prejudice and Discrimination. Follow along as she shares her internship experiences during her final semester at UW Oshkosh.

My internship at CHAPS has been a wonderful experience thus far.  I am acting in accordance with CHAPS governing principles and regulations regarding their three mental health services.  I have been observing and interacting with many aspects of the non-profit organization.  I have been able to observe therapy sessions with clientele and the horses and participate in activities with the Day Treatment Program.

Through these experiences I am able to demonstrate a conceptual understanding of the situation and develop effective problem resolution and intervention strategies.  I sit in on staff and collaboration meetings as well as developing a food program and creating a fundraising event.  Through these opportunities I exhibit leadership ability by multi-level thinking and resourcefulness.  I really enjoy working with the staff as well as interacting with the clientele.  Through CHAPS I am able to really experience the many avenues of a non-profit organization and create my professional identity.

My internship with Peggy Miller I was able to observe a divorce mediation facilitated by a retired judge.  It was a valuable learning experience to evaluate his method of mediation as well as an opportunity to display my interpersonal communication skills at a professional level consistent with the Human Services profession’s conduct and ethical standards.  In addition I have been able to use technology and information management skills to perform administrative aspects within Dispute Solutions system.  Dispute Solutions is a new institute and is extremely well structured.  I am honored that I am able to continue creating my professional identity through Dispute Solutions.

Alli Thompson, from Wisconsin Rapids is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh majoring in Human Services, with a minor in History.  At the UW Oshkosh she juggles four classes while serving as president of the Human Service Organization along with being a member of  National Society of Leadership and Success and Golden Key International Honor Society. Follow her as she blogs about her final semester at UWO and her internship experience at Winnebago Mental Health Institute.

It is hard to believe that month has already gone by.  I have learned so much over this month and I am excited to share my experiences with you.  My first month at WMHI was a huge learning experience.  I am into the internship with no prior knowledge or experience with working with individuals with a mental illness.  I had to quickly learn some of the most common mental illnesses.  Coming into the internship with no prior knowledge was both a pro and a con.  It was a pro because everything was new and exciting and I was constantly asking questions and taking in the new information.  However, it was overwhelming and I felt apprehensive because I felt that I would not be useful.   I get to work with a wonderful staff who understood my lack of experience and allowed me to take baby steps.

I have had the opportunity to work with the occupational therapist (OT) staff up on the units and interact with face to face with patients.  During time spent with the OT staff I get to have casual conversations with the patients during the morning for coffee.  This is important interaction because this casual conversation is both therapeutic and helps the patients work on their daily communication skills. Every day we have exercise which can range from doing a work out video on the unit to going down to a recreational room where the patients can walk on treadmills, elliptical, bike or walk circles for 20 minutes.  Then they get to part take in an activity ranging for Wii to playing pool to playing cards.  Depending on the day we either have provide the patients with creativity, relaxation or a personal group activity.  It must be noted that patients have the choice to join the group activity or not.

I also spend majority of my time down in Volunteer Services where I continue to learn about the hospital and mental health itself.  I have been given the opportunity be a part of the Volunteer Recognition.  I have so far created a program and invites. I am learning a great deal of what it takes to plan a huge banquet.  I will say a lot more thought and time go into putting a large scale program such as this that most who are attending do not even think of.  I am currently helping put together three boards for the 140^th anniversary of WMHI.  This project has been interesting because I have learned a great deal of NOW and THEN.  I am truly grateful for my experiences thus far at WMHI.  I look forward to March and planning more for Volunteer Recognition and continuing to learn about WMHI.