Social Work Internships
As a BSW or MSW student, you are required to participate in a social work internship when you are close to completing your degree or educational program to gain real-world experience along with your classroom studies. This way, you are fully prepared for a successful career in the industry when you graduate. Where students complete their internship will depend on their field director. But overall, it will involve them gaining the exposure and experience they need to work with a team and ensure the ethical treatment of clients and their families.
What is a Social Work Internship?
A social work internship is also known as a practicum and field placement. However, the requirements are the same for each program. The internship will take place in an actual work environment where students can study the behavior of other professionals in the field, which can then be used to mimic their own job performance as an entry-level or advanced-level social worker. While gaining practical experience, interns are limited in their participation because they are mainly there to observe the skills needed for their job, including active listening, communication, critical thinking, organization, and more. However, they may work with field instructors or directors to build case management agendas and solutions based on their own observations of clients’ needs. They may even be allowed to complete minimal tasks on their own under the guidance of licensed social workers. Social work internships may also lead to a permanent position at the organization.
How Does a Field Placement Work?
An intern’s field placement is determined by the field instructor, which they typically based on various factors, including the student’s education, specialty, interests, professional experience, and requirements for licensure. Students will also most likely be required to complete an interview with the potential field agency to determine if they are a good fit. Once all parties have agreed on the proper internship placement for you, the next step will be to discuss your study schedule with the field agency. The length of a student’s field placement will usually depend on whether their it is a practicum or internship. Practicums are usually required as part of a class or course, so they are usually no more than one semester long. However, an internship is more like a job. Therefore, the hours and length of the field study are normally set by the field organization. An internship may also be paid, since it also benefits the agency, whereas, practicum students normally receive academic credit as part of their class. Once you begin your field placement, your field instructor will work with you to plan your goals and activities according to the expertise and hands-on skills required for your profession. You will also be required to engage in discussions and complete internship-related assignments throughout your field study to help you reflect upon your learning while you are there. Your field instructor will also regularly meet with the field instructor at your field site to examine your placement.
Can You Set Up Your Own Internship?
The majority of internship programs do not allow students to set up field placements on their own. However, some do take recommendations on potential new agencies that might be taking students, provided they meet all accreditation and standards required by the university. If you are currently employed by an organization in the field of social work, you may even be able to use your time at the job for your internship, provided it is during a specific year in your course, and they allow you to split your time as an employee and a student.
Levels
BSW
As a BSW student, your internship will take place during your senior year with the overall goal of helping you build an understanding of the trauma approach to case management, community needs assessments, conducting biopsychosocial-spiritual assessments, civic engagement, and more. After this time, you will be qualified for general positions in residential treatment centers, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, community behavioral health agencies, and some school settings.
MSW Generalist
The MSW generalist internship is for first-year MSW students whose learning in their field placement will focus on understanding the service of engaging the ecological systems theory to conduct community needs assessments, civic and community engagement, biopsychosocial-spiritual assessments, and resource navigation. An intern at this level will be qualified for work in case management, problem-solving functions with groups, organizations, communities, families, and individuals, advocacy, and referrals.
MSW Advanced Direct Practice
MSW advanced direct practice internships take place during students’ second year of field placement with a focus on learning specific to this concentration, which includes health/behavioral health, children and families, and public child welfare. Interns will be able to choose jobs in private practice settings, specialized medical offices, residential treatment centers, hospitals, community behavioral agencies, government agencies, and nonprofits.
MSW Advanced Generalist
MSW advanced generalist interns are prepared to engage in advanced generalist social work with a specialized focus and concurrent field education experience for work in advanced generalist social work practice in various settings, including residential treatment centers, schools, hospitals, nonprofits, government agencies, community behavioral agencies, and more.
Areas You Can Work:
- Aging/Gerontological
- Alcohol, Drug or Substance Abuse
- Child Welfare
- Community Planning
- Corrections/Criminal Justice
- Developmental Disabilities
- Domestic Violence or Crisis Intervention
- Family Services
- Group Services
- Health
- Housing
- International
- Military
- Program Evaluation
- Public Welfare/Public Assistance
- Rehabilitation
- School Social Work
- Social Policy
Main Types of Social Work Internships
Local
Students engaging in local accredited social work internships can work with investigators, lawyers, and other professionals in the legislative advocacy field to assess the various needs of their clients, such as their cultural needs, educational needs, employment needs, etc. They can also work in clinically based fields and more.
Clinical
Interns participating in clinical social work will be able to participate in outpatient and inpatient settings as a social work practitioner to improve their clinical, interpersonal, and documentation skills. Or, they can work in social work administration as a practicum student where they can participate in grant research and writing, program evaluation, policy and procedure development and review, and more. All students will also learn a team approach to patient teaching, care, charting rounds with physicians and nurses, and more.
Government
Internships that occur in a local government agency will have their choice of work in a mental/health, mental retardation, children and family, or other human service agency. Or, they can complete their internship in a VA facility where they will develop the ability to facilitate group and individual therapy, suicide risk assessment skills, discharge planning skills, learn how to provide psychoeducation, and more via their robust training program.
Remote
Remote internships allow students to complete their internship remotely via phone, video conferencing, and other technology. This way, they can also fulfill their other class responsibilities. As a self-help social worker, you will have the opportunity to work with various individuals using self-help services, such as aging adults.
Abroad
A social work internship abroad offers diverse opportunities for learning and providing services in orphanages, refugee camps, hospitals, schools, and community-led NGOs. You could also intern at a government, nongovernment, or intergovernmental organization to support their efforts to promote social well-being.
Though most internships are non-paid, it is possible for students to seek an employed social work internship. However, it is only available to students who are currently employed with an organization that employs social workers. For instance, if you were hired by a social work organization within the past few months, it may qualify as an approved field placement. However, it can only be used once during the student’s course curriculum. On the other hand, if you have been employed by the organization for at least a year and plan to retain employment and a career with them, it may also qualify as a field placement. However, in both instances, the agency must also support the student’s academic learning and other objectives required for an internship. The objectives must also be reviewed by the field instructor. Interns must also be able to engage in generalist or specialist practice activities under the qualified work program as approved by the university. There must also be both an employment supervisor and an intern supervisor on the site who are committed to providing the time and guidance needed for a discreet educational and training experience. Students must also complete an Employee-Based Field Application and be approved to be eligible.
Social Work Internship Locations
If you are looking for global or local internships, you may consider conducting your job search on Indeed.com. Many professional organizations also tend to use their site to scout for eligible applicants. NASW is another site that caters to providing reputable social worker internship jobs, and it is also heavily relied upon by social workers. LinkedIn allows you to build your resume online, which can then be used to capture the attention of organizations looking for potential job candidates. So, you may also consider posting your resume on the site with all the qualifications that make you stand out to employers in your field. Students looking for general social work internship opportunities may consider searching Internships.com for a field agency because it has an entire page devoted to social work jobs. Intern Abroad HQ is rated the world’s best place to find global internship programs. So, if you are interested in completing your internship abroad, consider it a good place to begin your search.
Interviewing for an Internship
Interviewing for an internship is just like interviewing for a traditional job. Therefore, you need to treat it like you would any other job interview. This includes wearing professional attire like you would to the job interview and arriving early. You also want to bring a copy of your resume, which has been double-checked by a career counselor, professor, or even a friend to ensure it is relevant and free of errors. It also helps to research the field agency’s mission and programs before the interview and talk to other interns to learn more about the organization and what they are looking for. Preparing for the interview questions ahead of time will help you clarify your career goals and answer with confidence, so you might want to practice mock interviewing yourself before you arrive. During this time, practice answering various common interview questions, like why are you are interested in the placement, what previous experience do you have that qualifies you for the position, what is your understanding of the agency’s mission, and what are your ideal clients to work with., etc. And be sure to also have your own set of questions to ask the agency to ensure it is also a good fit for you.
FAQs
An internship occurs at a professional place of business where people are entrusted to their care. Hence, most field agencies will also usually require you to pass a background check for child abuse, a criminal record, drug screening, and other similar screening and testing before your placement. You may also need to bring a copy of your immunization records, proof of professional liability insurance, and your driver’s license.
How many placements am I required to complete?
The number of field placements required for your program will depend on the school and your area or areas of specialization. However, BSW students should generally expect to complete a generalist internship sometime during their senior year. MSW students are required to participate in clinical placement during their concentration year, where they will be providing direct services to individuals, families, and groups to prepare them for an advanced position in social work. In the meantime, if you are unsatisfied with your field placement, you may request a change, which will enable you to participate in more than one placement throughout your course.
Who is involved in my field placement?
There can be up to four or more people involved in your field placement, which includes a field coordinator and a field seminar instructor at your university. The field coordinator is the person who conducts your field placement interview and helps determine the right agency match for you, and the field seminar instructor is the person who teaches your class. There will also be a field instructor at the agency, as well as an agency director, who will work with the field instructor at your university to coordinate your practice and supervision. However, if you experience any issues with your field placement, consult the field instructor at your university