About Our Job

Denver Human Services offers a structured, unpaid experiential learning internship for college students enrolled in social work or related programs. This internship is an unpaid experience and it does not replace any paid positions. This hybrid educational program is designed solely for student learning, academic observation, and professional development within Child Welfare. Instead of carrying out direct client responsibilities or handling caseloads, students will participate in an experiential learning environment that helps them understand how professionals support vulnerable children, adults, and families through observation, guided activities, and supervised skill-building.

What We Offer

All City and County of Denver emerging talent positions are supported by a trained hiring manager and encouraged to attend up to 4 sessions of professional development each season (Winter/Spring, Summer and Fall).

Location
The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.

What You’ll Do

At Denver Human Services (DHS), we envision a healthy community where people are connected, supported, safe, and well. One in three people in Denver turn to DHS for support at all stages of life. Our employees help children, at-risk adults, families, and individuals navigate social and economic pressures by connecting them to services and experts who support their overall well-being.  

About Protection & Prevention

Denver Human Services works to protect Denver's children, youth, and at-risk adults by providing services and advocacy while promoting family stability, respecting diversity, and working to create and strengthen connections to community resources. We work to prevent abuse by providing education, resources, and support to parents, families, and community organizations. Interns will be paired with social case workers located at the main Castro building or at our satellite office.

Within DHS, the Child Welfare Division is comprised of Ongoing Child Protection, Ongoing Youth Services, Intake sections and Adult Protective Services, which includes approximately 30 teams. Each of these sections function with support from other areas including Kinship/Foster Care Support, Independent Living, Placement Support Services, Prevention Services, CORE Services, Family Team Meetings, Visitation, and many others.

Core Learning & Observation Components

• Shadowing & Field Observation: Accompany professional caseworkers during home visits to observe engagement strategies with families and placement providers.
• Structured Group Instruction: Participate in educational group sessions focusing on casework theories, system functions, and safety assessment frameworks.
• Legal and Clinical Observation: Observe the legal process by shadowing staff during court‑involved cases and listening to professional interviews with adults and children.
• Collaborative Meetings: Attend multidisciplinary internal and external meetings as a learning observer to understand coordination across systems.
• Specialized System Exposure: Gain insight into unique program areas, including the Bilingual (Spanish‑speaking) team, the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors Program, and the Sexual Abuse Intervention Team.

This internship does not involve completing tasks that replace, replicate, or supplement the responsibilities of paid employees. Interns will engage in observation, participate in educational experiences, and practice relevant skills only under direct supervision, for learning purposes.

This educational internship is unpaid and provides no benefits. The intern is not entitled to wages or other compensation. There is no guarantee of or entitlement to a paid employment position at the conclusion of the internship.

Program Structure & Values

• Hybrid Learning Model: Blends at‑home educational modules, office‑based instruction, and community-based observations.
• Term: Follows the traditional Academic School year.
• Time Commitment: Twelve to twenty hours per week, as required by their academic programing.
• Academic Credit: May qualify for college or academic credit.
• Academic Flexibility: Scheduling aligns with university requirements and supervisor availability and can accommodate academic schedules and demands.
• Student Status Requirement: Must be currently enrolled as a student in a social work or related program.
• Diversity & Inclusion: In alignment with the City and County of Denver’s core values, students will observe and learn about equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices that support a diverse urban community.

What You’ll Bring

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:

• Must be in the final year of a Bachelor's program or enrolled in a Master's program, pursuing a degree in Social Work or a related field
• Have a passion and commitment to helping others
• Strong interpersonal skills, and organizational skills
• Commitment to family preservation
• Ability to maintain boundaries in high stress situations

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Current enrollment in an accredited college program leading to a certificate, licensure, associates, bachelor’s, or higher degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Guidance and Counseling or closely related field, or a recent graduate (completed specified program within 1 year of completion)
• Experience Requirement: None
• Education and Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted
• License/Certification Requirement: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment

Mandatory documentation required to be considered for this position: 

• Resume: 1-2 pages, with the most current information
• Transcripts – either official or unofficial, dated within your current academic term

Application Deadline

Applications for this position are accepted on a rolling basis. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Position Salary Range

Target Pay

Agency

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.