Growing Through My Internship Experience

Ella Dahlin
Responsibilities as an Intern Learning Goals Fall:
From the day that I arrived at my internship, my supervisor told me I could make this 1. This position has confirmed my desire to
internship whatever I wanted it to be. This gave me the freedom to explore many different Fall: work with children and teenagers. I love
roles in my nine months at Madonna House. 1. I want to have a better idea on what I want to do with my life after I preventative work with people holding so
graduate and what I do not want to do.
Youth Programming 2. I want to get better at professional relationships instead of
much potential.
Creating educational programs for the children at Madonna House 2. I was able to create great, strong
Art and science projects, endless games of freeze tag, and the GROW program
friendships. I want to work on clear boundaries. relationships at work, but I left them at
3. I want to work with students and coworkers to create collaborative work, which is something I struggled with
Tutoring ideas, while critically analyzing my role to ensure I'm serving the in past positions.
Connecting with students by working with them on their homework clients. 3. I created GROW with the help of my
Watching them progress and building up their confidence so they believe they are
smart and capable WAS I SUCCESSFUL? supervisors, clients, and coworkers.

Food Preparation/Cooking Spring: Spring:

Stocking, cleaning, and organizing the pantry and refrigerators
1. As a result of my internship, I will understand the daily activities,
Preparing and cooking the daily shared meals with the mothers deadlines, and procedures that are required at non-profits to keep
them successfully functioning.
Administration 2. As a result of my time at Madonna House, I will improve my critical
Design excel sheets, answer the door and phone, comb through data, and clean as reflection skills and analyze the work that I am doing and interactions
needed
that happen while I am there.
Miscellaneous 3. As a result of interning at Catholic Charities, I will have a deeper
Practice my flexibility and adaptiveness by showing up every day with an open mind understanding of the planning and organizing necessary for creating
Help in whatever way that I can because every day is different and running a group for young women.
1. During my second semester, I took over many
more administrative duties, which gave me
insight on behind the scenes work.
2. By reflecting weekly on my internship, I was
able to critically analyze my position of power
as a college student intern.
3. The GROW program has challenged me to be
flexible. I can plan something meticulously,
but life happens and we may get sidetracked. I
have learned to adapt and find inventive ways
to incorporate the lesson plan.

At the midpoint of the program, I sent out surveys

and had conversations with group members to
discuss what they wanted from the group. With
their insights, we adjusted the goals and syllabus
for the program. Since implementing the new rules,
the girls are even more exited for group.

Background: Goals:
The idea of GROW (Girls Realizing Our Worth) came about when I realized there
were no programs for teenagers at Madonna House. Although children under 12
Original Goals Modified Goals
Explore Identities Increase Community
have programs almost every night, there is no group for teenagers. Even when
Develop Leadership Skills Share Similar Experiences
programs were open to all ages, the older girls were often too cool to participate.
Set Realistic Goals Use Leadership Skills
I wanted to create a program they would actually attend, so I created a group
Share Experiences Create a group goal
centered around sharing lived experiences.

Creating the Program Implementing the Adjusting the Program Reflecting on the
In order to have a program approved at
Program The original goals of the program were Program
When GROW was first introduced, there based around leadership, identity My original goals of learning about
Madonna House I had to
were 8 eligible participants. development, and setting goals. identities and leadership styles may not
Create a syllabus, which outlined the
On the first night, we had 4 participants After 3 sessions, I realized that my have been completely met, but I believe
schedule, the goals, and the nature of
For the second meeting, I personally program was too dense for 13 year olds. the program was successful in building
the 12 week program.
reached out to all 8 girls again I worked with the girls to adjust the a community that did not exist before.
Solve logistical pieces of the puzzle
To increase attendance curriculum. By listening to them, I was I constructed the program without
such as finding a time and place that
I worked with Loyola to have able to create more interactive activities. enough input from the girls, so halfway
worked for all interested girls.
every participant receive a We implemented 10 minutes of through the program, I asked them for
Design permission slips for
notebook for reflection socializing at the end of each session input.
participants and parents. Non-profit
Brought snacks for after our because the girls mentioned they really Together, we made GROW a program
organizations such as Catholic Charities
meeting wanted to get to know each other better. that everybody looked forward to on
require detailed and thorough forms.
We had a consistent 6 members at every A great unintended consequence of Friday nights.
Recruit all eligible participants with
meeting creating a space to foster friendships is Although they may not remember their
flyers, letters, and personal invites
As Madonna House is a homeless shelter, that it improves retention as well. I personality type, I believe they will
Work with a graphic design student at
people are constantly moving in and out. always hear members asking why one remember the nights spent with the
Loyola to create a logo for the program
In the course of the program, we have was missing from group. GROW community.
lost three members, but have gained two.