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Internship Goal Statement
September 2, 2014
Internship Goal Statement
Student Interest
Since I have started on my path in Human Development and Family Studies, I have developed a keen interest toward the adolescent age group. This interest has a direct correlation to my future occupation as a High School Counselor. In regards to adolescence as a whole, my interest lie in adolescents with emotional, psychological, and socioeconomic difficulties. Adding to my last statement, I also have a keen interest regarding adolescent who take part in self-mutilation—why it is done and ways to help recover. My enthusiasm pertains to the category of adolescence, not merely because of my recently disclosed interests, but because of the age group in general. When an individual emergences into adolescence, they start to change in many new ways. Adolescents strive to find their own identity of who they are and what they want to be, the pressure for continuing education and a career choice is pushed upon them, in addition to having to deal with academic work and their own social lives. Adolescence lays the foundation for an individual’s life, and here, those individuals will build upon that foundation. I am fascinated why adolescents do the things they do, their reasoning, and their reaction to the end goal through their own developmental scope. With these interests of adolescence in mind, I feel it is only natural to work this population during an internship. In regards to my interest of becoming a high school counselor, it would be beneficial to intern in a high school setting or something similar.
Internship
To be specific, I would truly enjoy an internship at Spring Grove Area High School. This is, in fact, the very same high school I attended six years ago. I have always loved the academic environment and the atmosphere of the high school itself. That was, though, through my own developmental context. Having the potential opportunity to go back now as an intern, I am sure my previous developmental view will shift in focus. While obtaining an internship at Spring Grove is my main objective, there is always the possibility that this may not come to fruition.
Through a general breadth, I am looking for an environment where other staff members are supporting, welcoming, and also helpful. Though these aspects would be helpful, I am not portraying a want for an environment where the organization feels the need to constantly supervise my tasks, but instead to build trust in my own abilities to accomplish my assignments. While I am sure most students’ would agree to have a stress free atmosphere, in any agency, this is not so in one way or another. I would enjoy an environment where heathy stress is promoted while negative stress is demoted. In addition, I would enjoy an environment that is moderately paced, and that have well voiced deadlines. I like to stay on top of my work in lue of procrastination. I would also enjoy a solid and positive work atmosphere during my internship. In short, regarding the location of the internship, I would preferably like to stay in the York area, but I am not opposed to driving as far as Harrisburg for the right position.
Internship Gains and Goals
Ultimately, I would like to achieve a better understanding of adolescence and human development oriented occupations. In my hopes to have an internship at Spring Grove Area High School (or a similar internship), I would like to have a better understanding of a high school counseling position. Interning for a high school is not only to expand my own personal knowledge base, but also to help me further develop as a human development professional. Working in the felid of my choice would allow me to increase my confidence in working with teens, and simply, increase my own confidence in my skills as a future helping professional. Overall, I hope to improve my communication, hands-on, problem solving, and therapeutic skills. This internship opportunity also allows me the ability to gain experience in a highly professional setting, which as of yet in my life, is absent. In short, my personal goals for my future internship are as follows: (1) develop an better understanding of a high school councilor position (if applicable), (2) develop a better understanding of human development related fields, (3) develop a better understanding of the 2015 adolescent, (4) to engage in a self-reflection in understanding of my own personal development from an adult perspective, (5) find perhaps where other areas in the human development field interest me, (6) increase my personal confidence in my own abilities and skills in the workplace (listed above), and lastly (7) to gain beneficial knowledgeable experience in a professional setting to further professionally.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would thoroughly enjoy an internship at a local high school to better comprehend the occupation of a high school counselor. I feel this is appropriate when noting my interest lie in the adolescent age group. I am, however, open to other internships that coincide with my interest. In viewing the internship in general, I would like a moderately-paced environment with understanding staff. I also hope to gain many benefits to my own personal development and skills—which is particularly exciting. I see this internship as an excellent opportunity to further myself as a human development driven individual, and as a young professional. I personally cannot personally await the challenge and opportunity of an internship.