The Safe Passages MSW Internship Program 2021-2022
Are you currently pursuing your Master’s degree in Social Work? Do you want to gain on-the-ground training under professional, licensed supervision? Look no further!
Safe Passages was founded in 1996 when Oakland was chosen as one of five urban cities to participate in the Urban Health Initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, designed to improve the health and safety of children. Safe Passages focuses on disrupting the cycle of poverty and implementing effective, evidence-based practices aimed at reducing the effects of exposure to violence among young children and youth throughout Oakland and Alameda County.
By choosing to complete your MSW Internship at Safe Passages, you will have the opportunity to help meet critical needs for vulnerable populations in Alameda County, CA. As a member of our MSW Intern team, you will develop professional skills, gain hands-on experiences, and change the way you engage with your community — all while making a difference!
Program Overview
MSW Interns placed with Safe Passages will receive supervision and coaching from two experienced social workers; one who holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare and the other who holds an MSW from U.C. Berkeley. Interns will be placed in one of three tracks – The School Linked Services Initiative, Early Childhood Strategy, and Management and Planning; and will have access to ongoing, targeted and individualized trainings and mentoring.
The School Linked Services Initiative provides a holistic menu of services to K-12 students and their families in 17 schools throughout Alameda County, including: violence prevention curriculum; school-based mental health counseling & case management; suspension alternatives; service coordination; parental involvement; after school & summer school programming; health services; family engagement and transitions support at middle schools sites throughout the Oakland and New Haven Unified School Districts. MSW Interns placed at schools will provide mental health assessments, individual & group therapy, case management, academic support, teacher consultation and training, parent education and training, home visits, and have a comprehensive school-based experience. PPSC hours available.
The Early Childhood Strategy consists of our Baby Learning Communities and Mental Health Collaborative. Baby Learning Communities build community among families with young children through playgroups, parent education, case management and advocacy (with the goal of increasing caregivers’ involvement in their children’s learning and growth); improving access to family resources and child development supports; early identification and treatment of developmental delays; and increasing social networks for young families. In partnership with through The Looking Glass, the Mental Health Collaborative provides observation, assessment, behavioral intervention, and support at the City of Oakland Head Start sites to children ages 0-5 who have been exposed to violence. The Early Childhood Strategy MSW Interns will support preschool staff with the identification and referral of children exposed to violence and with socio-emotional and developmental delays; and providing site staff with training on how to best respond to children exposed to trauma and/or developmental delays.
The Management and Planning Placement is designed for a student interested in learning about macro level social work, including but not limited to: how public systems work together to serve children and families in Alameda County. This opportunity provides a big-picture look at how public policy is created and applied in the social work context; and the intern on this track will work with staff to develop, promote, implement, and evaluate policies and programming across all Safe Passages strategies.
For more information and to apply, contact Dr. Nina Moreno at nmoreno@safepassages.org.
Required: TB screen & Criminal Records Check/Fingerprinting provided by agency. All interns must agree to attend the pre-placement Safe Passages Orientation.
Preferred: Access to car w/ insurance and license & Spanish speaking.
Stipends available – exact amount to be determined.