My advisors were very friendly and caring. It was a very rewarding experience as I was able to positively impact peoples lives.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Refugee Health Intern
August - December 2019 • Arlington, VA
What I liked
Small office which made communicating with other departments easy. Very friendly staff.
What I wish was different
Maybe if the office was in a different location. Not within walking distance of any metro stops and there were not any designated parking spots available for any interns.
Advice
If you are ever unsure about what your tasks are, just ask and have them explain again!
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Health Intern
May - July 2019 • Arlington County, VA
What I liked
I learned a great deal about how non-profits are organized. I also really bonded with my supervisor and her boss as well, so I know I have great references when I need them. My supervisor was very understanding and I was able to work on a wide variety of assignments.
What I wish was different
While I liked my supervisor a lot, she tended to be a bit disorganized. I think this was a common theme throughout the organization as a whole. They really wanted to help the refugee community, but they were working with limited time and resources, which can lead to some disorganization.
Advice
Stay as organized as you can. If you are working directly with clients, keep their phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses saved so that you do not need to continually check their file.
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Refugee Resettlement Field Intern
September - December 2018 • Silver Spring, MD
What I liked
It was a very fulfilling experience working with Refugees and Asylees in helping them assimilate into their new life. They always expressed their gratitude for the help we were able to provide them.
What I wish was different
It would have been helpful to receive some pay for the position but it was still a great experience. Even though it was an unpaid internship, it was absolutely still worth it.
Advice
Come ready to jump right in and be prepared to do your best at focusing on the needs of the clients.
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Reception&Program Intern
May - August 2018 • Arlington County, VA
What I liked
Gave room for me to take on tasks that were outside my job description, and this allowed me to expand my job skillsets. Friendly environment where employees were happy to help.
What I wish was different
There were more interns- office is small, so there weren't many interns working there.
Advice
Always make sure to ask first if you are unsure on how to complete an assignment before doing it.
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Integrations Program Intern
May - August 2018 • Silver Spring, MD
What I liked
Everyone at the office was incredibly warm and welcoming. They truly wanted interns to make the most of their experiences, and learn as much as possible! I enjoyed being able to assist clients directly, and really get to understand social work and the process of refugee resettlement.
What I wish was different
Advice
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R&P Intern
August - November 2018 • Arlington County, VA
What I liked
I enjoyed meeting and talking to recently arrived refugees. I enjoyed hearing their stories and helping them settle in America.
What I wish was different
Advice
It helps if you are flexible and friendly.
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Reception and Placement - Processing Intern
May - August 2018 • Arlington County, VA
What I liked
I really liked learning more about the U.S refugee resettlement process and being able to be a part of it as well. I also liked that I had the opportunity to do a project presentation in whatever topic of my choosing; I chose to combine my passions of international human rights and refugee resettlement and how they intersect. This presentation was presented to Headquarters in person and to the national affiliates via webinar.
What I wish was different
I wish I had some hands-on experience working with refugees directly.
Advice
You will learn a lot and grow from this experience. Embrace every moment of it, time will fly by fast. Build relationships with your supervisors; they will be excellent references.
