Residential Support Staff Internship

Homeless Solutions•Morristown, NJ

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Homeless Solutions offers a paid internship for college students seeking hands-on experience in a nonprofit organization and with multiple populations. Interns work frontline shifts alongside permanent staff at the Main Shelter, which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They learn the operations of an emergency shelter and receive support and guidance from experienced professionals. Interns may also explore nonprofit operations, advocacy, and management career paths. Interns gain experience meeting directly with clients, using NJHMIS, completing clerical work, and shadowing case management to learn about social work responsibilities. The program also provides mentorship and professional development from experienced higher-level staff. Paid internships are limited and competitive. Interns typically work 16–24 hours per week for one semester or 3–4 months. Depending on performance, interest, and availability, some interns may be offered continued work as regular or per-diem employees after the internship.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a secondary education program in social work, criminology, sociology, psychology, or a related field.
Possess at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
Motivated to learn.
Good oral, written, and basic computer skills.
Regular and predictable onsite attendance during scheduled hours.
Reliable transportation.
Physically capable of lifting and carrying supplies weighing up to 30 pounds.
Ability to occasionally move about inside the residential housing facility, including navigating stairs and ramps.
Clarity of vision at close and long range.
Must be fingerprinted and provide satisfactory results of applicable periodic background checks.

Responsibilities

Work frontline shifts at the Main Shelter alongside permanent employees.
Learn emergency shelter operations, including drug and alcohol testing, safety checks and contraband searches, de-escalation and crisis prevention, medication monitoring, volunteer engagement, emergency response procedures, conflict resolution, and child welfare interventions.
Meet directly with clients and develop proficiency using NJHMIS.
Assist with clerical work.
Shadow case management and gain exposure to social work responsibilities.
Participate in mentorship and professional development with experienced higher-level staff.