This is a guest blog by Katie Besse, a student at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She was an intern for Mommy’s Haven in Lowell, Ind.
My internship with Mommy’s Haven has been a rewarding one.
I started my internship with this not-for-profit about six months ago. I have a variety of responsibilities. We do everything from fundraising to counseling. I am a counseling intern with the organization, but do so much more than I expected.
Our organization houses homeless, pregnant mothers and their children. We provide job training, counseling, school assistance, help with attaining legal aid, medical services and government assistance. We also have many programs to teach these women how to care for not only their children, but themselves. We pride ourselves on getting these women back on their feet, and into society as active members.
During my internship, we helped several women find jobs and assistance. One instance that stands out―we housed a 20-year-old pregnant woman who decided that abortion was not the choice she wanted to make, and was kicked out of her parent’s home. We helped her not only finish school, but find a job, and she recently delivered a healthy and happy baby girl. We have also started a large fundraising campaign and finished filing our not-for-profit status with the state.
The most important thing I learned at my internship is that not everyone wants to accept the help you want to give. So many of the women we come across have gone through major crises in their lives. While many are grateful and accepting of our help, the ones that aren’t are the hardest cases. We want to help everyone that comes to us, but not everyone wants to stick to a program and work hard, to meet a goal.
I learned a new level of empathy. I learned there are many struggles these women go through than I could imagine. Personally, I have grown in my love of this work, and I know this is what I want to do with my career. Professionally, I have learned that with every different crisis a woman goes through, you have to be able to adapt your plan of action with them and tailor a program to their individual needs.
My biggest challenge was having enough time at this internship. With the newness of this organization, we didn’t have a steady flow of clients, and the ones we did have were not always willing to put in the necessary time.
Everything about this internship was helpful. It was an amazing experience that enlightened me to a population I knew very little about. I learned everything I wanted to and more. This internship taught me to counsel a group of women, as well as how to start a not-for-profit and fundraise. There was nothing about this internship I would change, and I know this will benefit me in my future in the mental health field.
