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

Our project is a first step in raising awareness about a national health epidemic. All proceeds are reinvested directly into proactive strategies for improving behavioral health among youth, teens, and young adults in collaboration with community partners.

We sponsor every day people of all ages struggling with behavioral health challenges that are committed to making a sincere change in their life towards their purpose. We match then with mentors for the long term.

Our youth, teens, and young adults are reporting the highest levels of loneliness on record according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Our work is going to help change that through simple actions that bring people together for the common good, focused on lifting people up, and creating stronger in person connections.