Erica getting to where she wants to be

Erica finding her way to the place she belongs.

It is officially the third week of my internship at Christel House! It has been an interesting few weeks, as I have worn many hats doing a variety of jobs, but have finally settled in the Social Services department. Before that, I was assisting teaching a fourth grade class. While I have the upmost respect for teachers, it didn’t take long for me to realize that the classroom is not where I belong. I was then moved to work with the three social workers of Christel House. Since my reassignment, I have been extremely happy. Though there are a few things I am not qualified to do, I feel very fortunate to have this placement, as the women I am working with are all extremely helpful and willing to take me under their wing. They understand that although I haven’t studied social work, I am interested in learning about the field. By taking a step back and just observing my supervisors, I am able to see how much good Christel House does for so many children, families, and communities.

 So far, I have gone on several home visits to ensure that the learners of Christel House are in a safe environment. I can’t say that I necessarily feel comfortable doing this- just barging into a person’s home- but I will admit that it has given me such insight and a deeper understanding of the different kinds of living situations. Though I feel somewhat invasive, I am constantly surprised by the overwhelmingly warm welcome I continue to receive. I can’t say that I deserve it, as I am a complete newcomer, but I am certainly appreciative.

In addition to making home visits, I have been able to shadow different meetings that the social workers attend. In particular, I sat in on a meeting with a local organization called The Clothing Bank. This nonprofit’s mission is to empower women by investing two years of training to help them become successful business leaders. I was extremely impressed by this initiative, as I feel that although women should be financially independent, many are not given the opportunity. The Clothing Bank seeks to aid unemployed women with dependent children in becoming leaders. I was so excited to learn that Christel House would be teaming up with this organization, in efforts to empower the women who have children that attend the school. Overall, it was a very insightful to see the outreach that Christel House does in efforts to strengthen communities intellectually, financially, and socially. I feel extremely lucky to have this internship, in that each day presents a new challenge and an opportunity to learn.