Social Work Intern

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 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

 

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.

Entry-Level Qualifications and Requirements:

• Education: pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Social Work. 
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Proficiency in English required, multilingual and Spanish proficiency prioritized.
• Computer skills: Competency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and other web-based services.
• Math Skills: Ability to formulate simple financial functions.
• Physical Performance: Ability to visit units (walk distances, climb stairs, etc.)
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to prioritize, make appropriate decisions, and judgment calls.

Other Skills: 

• Experience working with individuals and people living with health and/or mental health issues and substance use. Ability to engage residents.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be highly organized, be willing to assume responsibility, work well under pressure, meet deadlines, multitask, detail-oriented, and be flexible.

 

Job-Related Duties – Essential Functions:
These duties are essential and specific to the successful implementation of this position.
 

Service and Care Coordination:

• Ensure clients receive appropriate quality services per CHI principles and program requirements.
• Utilize service and care plans that provide customized information, crisis intervention, direct service, and advocacy services. Coordinate linkages to external and community-based services.
• Maintain a resource network for referrals as related to the clients' service needs.
• Meet with clients in assigned caseload at least once a week to assess progress with service and care plans.
• Participate in weekly room inspections to ensure healthy hygiene and housekeeping, and mitigate behaviors that compromise the client's health and safety.
• Review discharge plans and support continued enrollment and participation in public benefits and service linkages to community-based organizations.
• Support assigned caseload with enrollment in and receiving eligible benefits and programs.
• Encourage follow-through with appointments, documentation submissions, and other required activities to maintain enrollment and participation in benefits.

General Duties:

• Document interactions and communications with clients in AWARDS.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the field or task supervisor.

 

Placement-Related Duties: 

• 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 and external, written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidentiality: Can be relied upon to maintain customer and agency confidentiality. 
• Creativity and Innovation: Proposes creative ideas and seeks out better methods.
• 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. Can perform under pressure, within deadlines, and has the ability to work independently and to prioritize. Can begin and complete tasks without assignment and repeated oversight.
• Maintains charts and files in an orderly fashion.
• 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.
• Reliability in Reporting: Submits all internal and external reports in a timely and correct manner as required by funding agencies and/or CHI, and ensures information is accurate.
• 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 with conducting room searches.
• Teamwork: Encourages, enhances, and contributes to group efforts for the betterment of the entire agency and assists, as necessary.