Pathways to Success

Garden Spot High School

Rayne Covert – Social Work Internship

Hi! My name is Rayne Covert, and I am a senior that is currently interning at Ephrata Areas Social Services (EASS), in Ephrata. Although EASS offers many different services (social workers, clothing/food access, transportation, and much more) I work with my mentor, Casey Ellis, as well as many other people from the EASS team, to specifically do reception/front desk work, social work intake, and jobs within the food bank. Interning at Ephrata Areas Social Services has really opened my eyes to the realities of social work and human services overall. I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing team that helps me learn about these services, and is a helpful guide when it comes to deciding what I want to pursue in college and my general career goals.

I attend my internship twice a week, from 12:30-4pm (which is the “second shift” at EASS). On Tuesdays, I work at the front desk. I check in clients to meet with our social worker, Sarah, and our resource coordinator, Coanne. I also admit, schedule, and check in clients/families for the food bank, as well as guide and confer with new individuals during their first appointments. Furthermore, I work with our head of transportation (and office manager), Tiffany, to book transportation services for clients that are unable to drive or clients that are disabled, to get to appointments with us, or outside services like doctor appointments, shopping/groceries, etc.

On Fridays, I work in our food bank with another EASS volunteer, Lonnie. We focus on guiding clients throughout our food pantry to help them get what they need, which includes but is not limited to dry/canned foods, fresh produce, frozen items, hygiene products, and baby food/products. When we have extra time between appointments, we will gather, weigh, and restock the donations that we receive.

In my excess time, either day,  I work with my mentor on other skills that are helpful in human service-related fields, such as data entry and mail merging, or other miscellaneous tasks around the office.

Since beginning my internship in January, I have gained massive insight into human services and what I want for my future regarding my career. I now plan on pursuing a degree in human services, which will open a multitude of different job opportunities in support services. I will always recommend an internship to anyone that is considering it. They help you comprehend what you will see if you pursue certain career paths, as well as rule out careers you will and will not like, because of what you experience at your internship. And–if you plan on pursuing social work, 100% aim for an internship at EASS!

socialwork

jhackman • April 10, 2023


Previous Post

Next Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published / Required fields are marked *

Skip to toolbar