Ashley Sattler

Responsibilities

My position was an Autism Day Program Operations Intern. The Autism Day Program is a child care program for children with autism that implements individualized goals created by occupational, physical, and speech therapists on site. As an intern, I supported the day-to-day operations of the program in a variety of ways. I entered and audited children's data (e.g. bathrooms, meals, goals) in SetWorks to help ensure accuracy across client files. I created individualized reference guides for children in the program based on their medical care plans. I also observed therapy sessions across OT, PT, ST, ABA, and classroom settings to better understand each child's goals and how different disciplines worked together to support them. I also participated in candidate interviews, led a weekly staff spotlight, and helped coordinate daily logistics with my supervisor and classroom staff. I would recommend this internship to anyone wanting to see what both administration and direct care look like in a childcare/special needs setting.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment was the growth I experienced in understanding autism through daily interaction with the children in the program. Creating individualized child reference guides and reading through each child's care plans really expanded my knowledge on autism. Working directly in the classroom and studying those care plans taught me how to recognize and respond to each child's unique communication style in a way that a college class alone couldn't have prepared me for. I'm especially proud that those guides will now help new staff learn about each child and the strategies staff use for their behaviors.

Learning experience

One of the greatest lessons I learned was that internships are for learning, not for being a perfect employee. I put pressure on myself early on to keep up with full-time staff, but I realized I wasn't expected to have their same experience or instincts yet. Once I let myself ask questions and just observe instead of trying to prove myself right away, I actually grew a lot faster. By the end of the summer, things like helping with interviews or speaking up in staff meetings felt so much more natural than they did in May, and I could really see how much my confidence had grown.

What advice would you give?

My advice for future interns is to speak up about your needs throughout your entire internship, not just at the beginning. That could be when you are running low on tasks, have an idea, or realize your preferences have changed. I found that continuing to check in with my supervisor as the summer went on helped me figure out that I preferred certain parts of the role over others. I'd also recommend asking staff directly what you could create or help with to make their jobs easier, since that's actually how my child reference guides project started. Don't be afraid to bring your own ideas to the table throughout the entire internship, even if not every idea gets used.