Job Description
Description:
Community Housing Innovations (CHI) offers structured, supervised internship opportunities for students seeking an educational field placement in housing, homelessness, and human services settings.
Internships are an academic learning experience designed to support professional development while meeting university field education requirements. Interns gain hands-on experience in case management support, housing navigation, psychosocial group activities, and crisis response under the guidance of qualified, credentialed supervisors.
Interns are integrated into program teams as learners and observers and are supported through intentional onboarding, supervision, and reflective practice. Internships are unpaid and completed for academic credit in partnership with the student’s college or university.
What Interns Can Expect:
- Supervision by licensed, SIFI-certified, and experienced professionals
- Structured onboarding and orientation
- Learning activities aligned with academic objectives
- Exposure to micro, mezzo, and macro practice environments
- Ongoing support throughout the placement
Educational Focus / Learning Outcomes
This internship is designed to provide a structured, supervised learning experience aligned with academic and professional development goals in the social work and human services field. Interns will have the opportunity to:
- Apply classroom knowledge to real-world practice within a behavioral health and/or housing services setting.
- Develop foundational skills in client engagement, assessment, service planning, and documentation.
- Gain exposure to trauma-informed care, person-centered planning, and strength-based approaches.
- Observe and progressively participate in case management functions, including goal setting, referrals, and resource coordination.
- Build competency in professional communication, including interactions with clients, interdisciplinary teams, and external service providers.
- Participate in individual and/or group supervision, receiving regular feedback to support skill development and professional growth.
- Understand ethical and legal considerations in practice, including confidentiality, boundaries, and documentation standards.
- Increase awareness of systems impacting vulnerable populations, including homeless services, mental health, and substance use treatment systems.
- Interns will work collaboratively with their assigned supervisor to establish individualized learning goals that align with both academic requirements and organizational opportunities
Essential Functions:
These duties are essential and specific to the successful implementation of this placement:
Service and Care Coordination:
- Provide appropriate quality services per CHI principles and program requirements.
- Coordinate linkages to external and community-based services.
- Maintain a resource network for referrals as related to the clients' service needs.
- Meet with assigned caseload at least weekly to assess service and care plan progress.
- Participate in weekly room inspections with Case/Shelter Management staff to ensure healthy hygiene and housekeeping and mitigate behaviors that compromise health and safety.
- Support assigned caseload with benefits and programs enrollment and eligibility.
- Encourage follow-through with appointments, documentation submissions, and other required activities to maintain enrollment and participation in benefits.
- Maintains charts and files in an orderly fashion. Document interactions and communications with clients in AWARDS.
Placement-Related Expectations:
- Attendance and Punctuality: Punctual and regular attendance.
- Attitude and Courtesy: Is respectful and courteous to others and is cooperative. Is attentive to the concerns, ideas, and issues expressed by others. Shows consideration for and values the opinions of clients, other staff, and the general public.
- Communication: Uses appropriate internal/external & written/verbal communication skills.
- Confidentiality: Can be relied upon to maintain customer and agency confidentiality.
- Decision-making Skills: Demonstrates proper judgment and decision-making skills. Secures relevant information, appropriately identifies causes of problems, and takes or recommends an appropriate course of action.
- Flexibility: Demonstrates a willingness to follow instructions and accept assignments as appropriate to meet the needs of the agency, its customers, and clients.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Is careful with agency resources. Uses materials and equipment in a cost-effective manner. Limits and documents improper use of agency resources.
- Knowledge: Demonstrates understanding of the principles, methods, and processes needed to perform assigned tasks.
- Performance: Meets productivity standards. Has the ability to implement and follow a project through to completion in a timely fashion. Produces neat, accurate, and thorough work.
Specific intern responsibilities vary based on program and location.
Instructions:
This internship is intended to supplement academic learning and is not a substitute for a paid staff position. To be considered, please send a resume to [email protected].
Entry-Level Qualifications and Requirements:
- Currently enrolled in an accredited college or university pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Social Work or a related human services field (e.g., Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, Counseling, or Behavioral Health).
- Ability to meet any academic institution requirements for internship placement, including supervision, documentation, and evaluation standards.
- Demonstrated interest in working with vulnerable populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, and/or substance use disorders.
- Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Proficiency in English required, multilingual and Spanish proficiency prioritized.
- Reasoning Ability: Ability to prioritize, make appropriate decisions, and judgment calls.
- Professional Development: Shows ambition and interest in pursuing development; expands on skills.
- Response to Supervision and Training: Listens effectively; seeks, accepts, and integrates into his/her daily routine constructive criticism, advice, and guidance.
- Safety Practices: Knows and observes safe working conditions, maintains safe work practices, and makes the field or task supervisor aware of any unsafe conditions. Be comfortable conducting room searches.
- Computer skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, and other web-based services competency.
- Physical Performance: Ability to visit units (walk distances, climb stairs, etc.)
Background Check & Onboarding Requirements:
All interns must complete a required background screening before starting their placement. Clearance is coordinated by CHI Human Resources and provided at no cost to the student. The clearance process may take up to 3-4 weeks, so early outreach is strongly encouraged. Interns must also complete onboarding requirements, including orientation and required training, before beginning their placement.
Qualifications based on specific internship and program.