Health and Elder Services Intern

Position Title:    Health and Elder Services Intern

Department:     New American Program

Status:                 Non-Exempt, Full-Time

Reports to:        Refugee Health Services Coordinator

Location:          Springfield-based

Hours:                 Summer Internship, recommended 37.5 hours per week, full-time or almost full-time 

hours are preferred

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts is seeking a Health and Elder Services Intern to join our multicultural New American Program team. This position will support refugee families and elder clients by ensuring clients attend required physical, dental, and counseling appointments and that clients learn best practices related to health and hygiene. Interns will assist case workers by serving as an additional resource for clients and collecting information that helps improve the program's delivery. This position will report to the Health Program Coordinator and support the HPP and PEERS programs for new Americans in Springfield, MA.

Responsibilities:

• Assist staff with case management including:
  • advocating for health and social services
  • helping to coordinate referrals to a wide variety of social services
  • transporting clients to/from appointments; accompanying clients to medical and other appointments to ensure interpretation and follow-up
• Help develop curriculum for client education or support groups based on clients’ needs
• Support case managers as they manage client records and document client interactions through case notes in online database

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize common hygiene and health challenges faced by refugee populations, with a focus on health, mobility, and access issues for elderly clients
• Develop strong advocacy and system-navigation skills
• Identify best practices associated with case management and how to effectively conduct client meetings with individuals from a variety of backgrounds
• Identify and access community resources and services, particularly those that serve refugees
• Understand the New American Program, as well as what role resettlement agencies like JFS play in receiving and integrating refugees and newcomers
• Respectfully express and engage ideas and values in a multicultural, multilingual environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest in refugee medical, healthcare, and elder issues
• Undergraduate or graduate students interested in medical, health, social work, or psychology fields are encouraged to apply
• Ability to work respectfully in a multicultural environment
• Patience speaking with non-native English speakers and speakers of other languages
• Experience advocating on behalf of others
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Professionalism, discretion, and maturity in dealing with confidential information
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Organized with great attention to detail and great flexibility
• A car/driver’s license and willingness to transport clients to/from appointments/events (if candidate does not have a car, then willingness to travel on the bus frequently to appointments and clients’ homes in Springfield)