Internship Site Examples

ACCESS

ACCESS is a shelter for homeless women and their children and homes children from newborn all the way to 18 years old and they are looking for interns starting this summer (2016). ACCESS is looking for students to help modify and run programs with their older children, such as:

  • Peer-pressure
  • Self-Esteem Building
  • Internet Safety
  • Bullying
  •  Healthy Eating Choices
  • Respect

They are also looking for students to help run their parenting classes, covering topics like:

  • Age-Appropriate Discipline
  • Coping Skills
  • Importance of Family Time

If interested, please contact Meaghan Saffels at 330-376-0997 Ext: 114 or you can learn more about access here.

Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority

They are looking for Early Childhood Initiative Interns. This program has 3 components: Family Outreach, Home Visitation/Parents as Teachers, and Maternal Depression. Responsibilities can include: 

  • Assist with communication to residents
  • Attend family outreach events
  • Attend and assist with Mom-ME groups
  • Assist in creating activities for Parents as Teachers (PAT)
  • Assist in the research and organization of resources for home visitation and creation of intake files
  • Assist in recruiting new families
  • Provide assistance to Child & Family Partners and attend home visits when appropriate
  • Assist in program coordination.

This experience would be beneficial to students studying Home and Community Based Intervention, Case Management, Parent Education, and Child Development. You can learn more about the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority by clicking here.

If interested, contact Richelle Wardell at rwardell@akronhousing.org.

Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center

There are programs for parents and children. As an intern, you can elect to focus on case management, court advocacy, outreach and advancement, grants, child advocacy and much more. To learn more and to apply, visit their website: https://hopeandhealingresources.org/volunteer-intern/.

Child Guidance and Family Solutions

Early Childhood

Early Childhood Programs addresses the social, emotional, educational and developmental needs of young children ages birth through 6 years. Staff with a specialized background in working with families of young children will meet with you and your child for an evaluation and to specify goals. Our staff may then recommend assistance from among our wide range of services, such as our Incredible Years program. When appropriate or necessary, some of these services might be provided in your home or in other convenient locations.

Early Childhood Case Management/CPST

Early Childhood Case Management/ CPST helps children and families where ever they are struggling, at home, at preschool, at the grocery store, wherever the family wants help to improve behavior.

Early Childhood Case Management/CPST will also provide the following:

  • Assessment: Identifying your child’s and your family’s strengths and needs.
  • Linking: Connecting your child to services both within CG&FS and in the community.
  • Advocating: Serving as your child’s advocate with other organizations and your child’s preschool/child care to obtain the most appropriate services for your child.
  • Monitoring: Reviewing your child’s progress and making sure that he or she always receives the appropriate services.

Interested in Child Guidance and Family Solutions?

Contact Dawn Carter at 330-762-0591 or CartD@cgfs.org

The Coleman Pregnancy Center

Two available internship positions:

  1. Working at the center specifically with pregnant and parenting clients, providing a wide range of clinical and educational services. This includes direct client care, case management, clinical documentation, intakes, education and other clinical based activities.

  2. Working as an Outreach Specialist with a community population at a local low-income apartment complex. This person will continue to help establish the Outreach Center by doing community needs assessment, community marketing, and working with clients to overcome a wide variety of obstacles. This person will also offer limited pregnancy center services on site.

If interested in either position, contact Ru at at 330-676-6842 or pregnancy@colemanservices.org 

County of Summit Developmental Disabilities Board

Early Intervention services are available to families of eligible children from birth to age three. These services are at no cost to the family and can take place in a variety of locations including the family home, child care center, the baby sitter’s home, or other agreed-upon community sites, based on family needs. Summit DD’s Early Intervention services are based on scientific evidence that very young children learn best in their natural environments with activities that can be practiced daily and consistently. Parents and care providers are the most important "interventionists" in an infant’s or toddler’s life and Summit DD’s Developmental Specialists work with families and caregivers to give them the tools and strategies they need to be successful.

You can learn more about the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board by clicking here.

Contact Lynn Sargi if interested at 330-634-8049 or at lsargi@summitdd.org. You will need to complete the online application, which can be found here.

Family Child Learning Center / Akron Children's Hospital

Family Child Learning Center (FCLC)'s Preschool: an integrated program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

FCLC's Preschool in Tallmadge is an off-site program of Akron Children's Hospital. The classroom is staffed by three teachers, a speech therapist, and university students. We are looking for university interns/volunteers to be in the classroom a minimum of two half-days per week Fall or Spring semester. 

  • Children with ASD and typical peers learn together.
  • Monday-Thursday, 9am - 12:30pm.
  • Hands-on experience with  young children with varying developmetnal levels, developmentally appropriate practice, interdisciplinary teaming, autism spectrum disorder, different intervention approaches/philosophies, IEPs, and Ohio Early Learning academic content standards.

For more information, contact Abbie McCauley, Ph.D. at 330-633-2055 or awheeden@kent.edu.

Head Start

Early Head Start Program

Provides a home-based pre-natal education/curriculum to enrolled pregnant women and their children, promoting healthy prenatal outcomes while enhancing the knowledge of infant/toddler development and developing healthy family functioning.

Parent Engagement/Involvement Activities

To support the parent’s knowledge of their child’s development and local community services, ASCA Head Start and Early Head Start offers “Families Turn to Learn” parenting programs.  “Families Turn to Learn” presentations include sessions related to child development, comprehensive health and nutrition, education, mental health education, science, community advocacy, transition programs for school readiness, adult literacy and resources for job skills training to facilitate family self-sufficiency.

Info Line

2-1-1 Information and Referral Intern Program

Our intern program offers a chance for students or individuals who are looking for a way to become involved in the community to gain valuable experience.

Link Clients to Services: Help to answer nearly 70,000 requests for assistance each year on a wide range of topics. Serve a variety of clients including families, older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and uninsured individuals. Assess callers' needs and provide information and referrals.

Comprehensive Database of Health and Human Services: Access to a database of over 1,200 Summit County agencies with over 9,000 programs and services. Minimum: 150 hours.

Info Line is committed to providing a strong field experience for students accepted into the 2-1-1 Information and Referral intern program.

We provide training that includes classroom instructions, role-playing, active listening sessions, call answering, and a training manual.

Interns gain valuable skills which are useful in a wide range of career fields including:

  • professional communication
  • active listening
  • assessment and interviewing techniques
  • problem-solving
  • dealing with difficult callers
  • database documentation
  • utilization of resource database to identify resources
  • effective team interaction
  • knowledge of community resources

For more information, contact Elizabeth Kargbo at (330) 315-1402 or ekarbo@infolineinc.org. Visit us online at http://www.211summit.org.

International Insitute of Akron (IAA)

There are several internship positions including a New Project Intern, Refugee Resettlement Intern, and Volunteer Coordination Intern. Learn more at https://www.iiakron.org/s/Internship-Positions.docx.

Phone: (330) 376-5106 Email: volunteer@iiakron.org

Project RISE/ Akron City Schools

Project RISE provides many supports for students and families including:  

  • Tutoring for students living in shelters
  • Akron Street Card: a pocket directory of social service agencies and resources
  • Resource Directory: booklet form of the Akron Street Card
  • Love and Learn Doll Project: hand-made dolls and educational materials for preschool children living in the shelters
  • Moms and Kids on the RISE: parent education and support programs for mothers and art education for the kids
  • PACT (Performing Arts Can Teach): a program that engages families in musicals, plays and dance performances
  • Parents RISEing: three seasonal dinner events for families at local agencies and churches
  • Summer programs: engaging and educational field trips and activities for families

Contact Rachel Breece, Special Programs Coordinator at rbreece@apslearns.org  (330) 761-2969.

https://www.akronschools.com/programs/help_for_homeless_students___project_rise

Summit County Juvenile Court

The Crossroads Program

The Crossroads Program serves children with substance abuse/dependence problems and mental illness, most commonly referred to as “co-occurring disorders.” The Crossroads program is intensive probation and lasts a minimum of one year. Each child has a case plan and community agencies provide services to the children and their families, including treatment for substance abuse and mental health, family and individual counseling, educational, vocational and employment services.The program also works with parents and children to strengthen and improve the family unit through counseling.

Students working in this program would be working as a Home-Based Parole Officer.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)

The mission of the Court Appointed Special Advocate/ Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Program is to recruit, train, and support volunteers who speak up for abused, neglected and dependent children in Court. As a party in the proceedings, it is the role of the CASA/GAL child advocate to provide investigation, assessment, recommendations, monitoring, and advocacy in order to assist the Court in making decisions in the best interest of the children.

This position would best suit Case Management students.

Interested in either of these positions?

Send your cover letter and resume Triston Smead ttyrrell@cpcourt.summitoh.net or contact him by phone at 330-643-4540. Please be aware that there is only ONE internship position available per program, per semester!

For a complete list of agencies in Summit County, check out these links!

Akron Area Agency Directory

Ohio InfoLine

United Way Summit County