RISE provided me the opportunity to tailor my field work in both micro and macro domains.
RISE Housing and Support Services offers an internship program for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in social work, social science, human services, or psychology. The internship program offers students clinical and administrative rotations for a macro and micro view of the philosophies of harm-reduction, trauma-informed care, and person-centered planning.
Stacy Lauver, a former Siena social work student who graduated in May 2020 shares her experiences as an intern at RISE.
During my senior year field experience at RISE, I worked with Housing First, Care Management, and the Administrative team. RISE provided me the opportunity to tailor my field work in both micro and macro domains. I had the unique opportunity to shadow Paula Tancredi Penman, Associate Executive Director, who was the Business Manager at the time, and Sybil Newell, Executive Director, as they developed new programs and brought trauma-informed, person-centered, services to the community. And I learned how RISE values their clients and their employees by practicing and promoting self-care and well-being.
I attended Continuum of Care and Coordinated Entry meetings with Katie Taylor, Housing First Coordinator, where I interacted with influential community professionals that bring housing and support services to Saratoga County. I accompanied Katie to home visits and client intakes where I had a hands-on experience.
Right before COVID-19 shut down the country, I briefly worked with Erika Straight, Child and Youth Care Manager, to bring child and family services to the community of Corinth. While my internship ended abruptly because of the pandemic, I still feel part of the RISE family and value the opportunities they gave me. I carry the knowledge and experiences RISE afforded me as I work toward my master’s degree in Social Work at the College of Saint Rose.
RISE offers internships for undergraduate and graduate students. Stacey raised the bar for the agency’s expectations, and RISE is thrilled that she had such a wonderful experience. The agency’s goal is to offer every intern the opportunity to experience a breadth of micro and macro experiences.