[HumanSer] Request for feedback

[Ericka]

I am very happy to hear that you had a great experience. This is great advice. Things have definitely changed over the years and I am happy for that. In the 90s, my school did not allow us to independently look for our placements. I had to take what they found for me without my input. I don’t know if they did that because of my disability, or because that’s how they did it with all students. I didn’t know that you had more power when you were getting your graduate degree. I am glad that everything went well for you and I hope , this becomes the norm not the lucky situation. 

I enjoyed working as an activity assistant in a nursing home and later and assisted-living center. However, I didn’t need the credentials. I had to do it. I did not have the support from the school or the Disabled students or will rehab to come up with solutions to issues or with people in general with their attitudes. I am so grateful you guys have so many more options like mentors. They were harder to find back then. 

Ericka Nelson


> On Aug 7, 2024, at 4:02 PM, Lori Scharff via HumanSer <humanser at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Anny,
> I worked as a social worker from 2002 until 2019.
> 
> I have both my under grad and graduate degrees in social work. My undergrad
> field supervisor thought that I was just going to intern at the local blind
> agency. I told her I would not be doing that! So, I began researching
> various community organizations who might employ a social worker. I then
> also looked at my transportation restrictions; since the paratransit in my
> county was still young! I got the list down to 5 programs and called each of
> them and spoke with someone to further figure out the best match. I ended up
> interviewing with 2 of them and one of them took me. It was a fantastic
> experience.
> 
> When I did my graduate degree, I interned in a partial hospitalization
> program. I only stayed at that internship for 3 months. It was supposed to
> be 21 hours per week with a clinical focus; since it was an advanced
> standing degree. The number of employees was grater than the number of
> clients for 12 weeks. So, I only had one individual client and I ran 2
> groups. The rest of the time she wanted me to just observe.
> I went to my field supervisor and she told me to stick it out. I told her
> that I had already begun looking for community organizations who would be
> happy to use my skills. I interned in a drug and alcohol program that went
> into the schools. Again it was a fantastic experience.
> 
> My supervisor from the partial hospitalization program called my field
> supervisor in April to ask if I wanted to work as a paid intern one day a
> week since they now had 25 clients and not enough staff.
> 
> I would recommend looking at all of the organizations that you can get to as
> possible options. You also may want to check with programs like food
> assistance programs who may not have a social worker onsite. But, I am
> wondering if you and your school could come up with some kind of supervision
> arrangement?
> 
> If you wish to reach me directly, I can be reached at lorischarff at gmail.com
> Lori
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HumanSer <humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Anny Safier via
> HumanSer
> Sent: Wednesday, August 7, 2024 12:39 AM
> To: humanser at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Anny Safier <annysafier at gmail.com>
> Subject: [HumanSer] Request for feedback
> 
> Hello, my name is Anny Safier and I am an incoming MSW student at Binghamton
> University. I was recently informed by the field department in my school
> that because I have had three interviews without success in finding an
> internship for this year, I will not be able to start field instruction in
> the fall. Out of the three interviews I had, one did not get back to me for
> months which wasted time for me and another place ended up not having enough
> room for interns. Timing is unfortunate, with the term beginning in two
> weeks. While I was applying to different internships, I received no feedback
> from the department who was setting up the interviews, until they explained
> to me that I would have to wait either until the spring to start field or
> another year. My internship last year was significantly impacted by issues
> within the agency, causing me to have between three and five months worth of
> practical experience instead of a full year. If anyone has had similar
> experiences and/or could give ideas about how to move forward in applying to
> internships for the spring or figuring other ways of approaching these kinds
> of issues, I would appreciate it. Thank you. Anny Safier
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