Community Social Worker Internship

Community Social Work Internship - Underserved Population Advocacy

Remote Position

Schedule, Duration, Position Type

-Contract, Part-Time, Internship

-Compensation: Academic Credit or Volunteer (Unpaid)

- Flexible hours to accommodate academic schedules

- Minimum commitment: 3 months

- Start date: Flexible

Position Overview

Join our team as a Community Social Work Intern, focusing on developing innovative approaches to serve and advocate for the most underserved populations. This role combines direct service strategies with systemic advocacy to create sustainable support systems and empower marginalized communities.

Key Responsibilities

- Research evidence-based practices for supporting underserved populations

- Develop resource guides and support materials

- Create trauma-informed engagement strategies

- Map community resources and identify service gaps

- Build connections with local service providers

- Participate in weekly Saturday afternoon collaborative sessions with our nationwide team of student leaders

- Document successful intervention strategies

- Support advocacy initiatives for systemic change

Required Qualifications

- Current enrollment in an accredited college or university

- Commitment to social justice and equity

- Understanding of trauma-informed practices

- Strong cultural competency skills

- Excellence in interpersonal communication

- Knowledge of social work ethics

- Basic case management understanding

- Interest in systemic advocacy

Focus Areas

**Direct Service Development**

- Crisis intervention strategies

- Resource coordination

- Support system building

- Case management frameworks

- Client empowerment

- Basic needs assessment

- Mental health support

- Family strengthening

**Systemic Advocacy**

- Policy research

- Community organizing

- Coalition building

- Rights education

- Impact documentation

- Barrier identification

- Solution development

- Change management

What You'll Gain

- Direct service experience

- Advocacy skills development

- Case management expertise

- Understanding of systemic barriers

- Professional network building

- Letter of support from Voice Up's founder upon successful completion

- Portfolio of social work initiatives

- Real-world advocacy experience

Project Components

- Resource development

- Intervention strategies

- Community mapping

- Policy recommendations

- Progress tracking

- Impact assessment

- Best practice documentation

- Partnership building

Core Competencies Development

**Clinical Skills**

- Assessment techniques

- Intervention planning

- Crisis management

- Resource coordination

- Family support

- Mental health awareness

- Trauma-informed practice

- Cultural competency

**Advocacy Skills**

- Policy analysis

- Community organizing

- Coalition building

- Rights advocacy

- System navigation

- Change management

- Impact measurement

- Resource development

We are committed to supporting and empowering underserved populations through innovative social work practices.

Key Objectives

- Develop effective support strategies

- Create resource networks

- Build community partnerships

- Document best practices

- Measure service impact

- Identify systemic barriers

- Propose policy solutions

- Foster community empowerment

To Apply

Send to

Please submit:

- Your resume

- Personal statement about your commitment to serving underserved populations

Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

- Passion for social justice

- Understanding of systemic barriers

- Cultural humility

- Strong ethical framework

- Communication skills

- Advocacy experience

- Empathy and compassion

- Commitment to empowerment

Special consideration given to candidates with:

- Social work background

- Direct service experience

- Community organizing experience

- Policy advocacy knowledge

- Language skills

- Crisis intervention training

- Mental health awareness

- Lived experience with served populations

This role provides the opportunity to develop both direct service skills and systemic advocacy capabilities while working with underserved populations. The ideal candidate will understand the interconnection between individual support and systemic change.

We seek candidates who can bring both compassion and critical analysis to addressing the needs of underserved populations. We welcome applications from students who share our commitment to social justice and systemic change.

Note: We particularly value candidates who bring lived experience or deep understanding of the communities they seek to serve, while maintaining professional boundaries and ethical practice.

Our commitment to ethical practice includes:

- Maintaining confidentiality

- Respecting client autonomy

- Promoting social justice

- Cultural humility

- Professional boundaries

- Continuous learning

- Collaborative practice

- Strengths-based approach

Core Principles for Workplace Success

Collaboration

Collaboration in the workplace extends far beyond simply working together on projects. It represents an active commitment to combining diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences to achieve outcomes that surpass what any individual could accomplish alone.

Effective collaborators recognize that different viewpoints strengthen solutions and actively seek input from teammates. They share knowledge freely, remain open to new approaches, and understand that the best ideas can come from unexpected sources. True collaboration means creating an environment where team members feel safe contributing ideas and where credit is shared rather than claimed individually.

Humility

Workplace humility manifests as the ability to acknowledge both personal limitations and the valuable contributions of others. It involves maintaining an learning mindset, regardless of position or experience level. Humble team members readily admit mistakes, seek feedback for improvement, and recognize that every person on the team—from the newest hire to the most seasoned veteran—has valuable insights to offer.

They understand that no one person has all the answers and that success comes from being open to learning from anyone. Humility also means being willing to take on tasks regardless of status and recognizing that every role contributes to the team's success.

Precision

In the workplace, precision goes beyond mere accuracy in tasks—it encompasses clarity in communication, attention to detail in planning, and thoroughness in execution. Precise team members set clear expectations, define specific goals, and communicate requirements unambiguously.

They understand that vagueness leads to misunderstandings and rework, while precision enables efficiency and reliability. This principle includes maintaining clear documentation, providing specific feedback, and ensuring that all team members have a shared understanding of objectives and standards. Precision doesn't mean perfectionism; rather, it means being intentional and thorough in ways that matter most to outcomes.