Internships and field placements at Hillside Children’s Center provide experiences in working with children and their families in a variety of settings. The opportunities are for student interns whose courses of study may include the following: Criminal Justice, Developmental Disabilities, Therapeutic Recreation, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Education, and other related fields. Opportunities for student interns whose courses of study are in Human Resources, Financial Aid, Marketing and Public Relations, Food Services, and Clerical Support are also available.

Internship Criteria

Basic Requirements:

  1. The student intern must be in his/her junior or a senior year in a four-year program, in their second year in a two-year program, or in a master’s degree program.

  1. The internship is a minimum of nine hours per week for the semester or quarter.

  1. The student intern will be expected to provide a learning contract with objectives, goals, and expectations.

  1. Previous experience with youth in groups is preferred.

  1. The student intern has met the application deadline of six weeks prior to start date.

Application Process

A student intern expresses interest:

  1. The student intern meets the basic criteria and there are opportunities at Hillside Children’s Center.

  1. The student intern completes the application.

  1. There is an interview with the Human Resource Specialist for Volunteers and Interns. The interview consists of an overview and a discussion of what the student is looking for.

  1. Suitable applications are forwarded to field placement advisors or designated regional point people. Appropriate staff will interview the student intern.

  1. The student intern has a final interview with the designated field placement advisor/supervisor.

  1. The Human Resource Specialist for Volunteer and Interns completes the reference process.

(Click here for a copy of the application.)

Upon decision of placement:

  1. Student intern meets with the Human Resource Specialist for Volunteers and Interns for orientation to cover confidentiality, mandated reporting, custodial conduct, and other related topics.

  1. Student intern will provide written proof of a negative tuberculosis test within the last 6 months. The Hillside Health Office can provide this test at no charge.

Driving is permitted by Master of Social Work student interns ONLY:

  1. Student intern will complete the driver information form. Hillside will check with the Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure that the student intern meets Hillside Children’s Center driving standards.

  1.  Student intern will submit a copy of his/her automobile policy, which must include carrier’s name and the amount of liability coverage.

Student interns must carry a minimum of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident liability coverage and sign a statement indicating that they understand their liability in an accident while transporting a Hillside Children’s Center client.

Training

  There is much to learn about the role of the student intern and Hillside Children’s Center therapeutic approaches. Hillside Children’s Center offers the following training opportunities:
Mandatory Training
The student intern must attend one 2-hour session.
 
Part One: Crisis Awareness
It is a more in-depth look at why children are placed at Hillside Children’s Center, what we mean when we say children and families are "in crisis," our therapeutic approaches to crisis situations, and your role as a student intern.
 
Part Two: Safety
An overview of medical information, blood borne pathogens, and fire/evacuation safety.
 
On-the-Job Training
The field placement advisor/supervisor will provide site-specific training.
 
In-Service Training
Student interns are welcome to attend training sessions that interest them with approval from their advisor/supervisor.

Contact Us

For more information on internships with Hillside Family of Agencies, please contact Chris Kunz, Human Resource Specialist for Volunteers and Interns, Hillside Family of Agencies, at (585) 256-7500 or send e-mail to ckunz@hillside.com.