Elyse Christian

Major: Child, Adult, and Family Services
Minor/option/emphasis: CHFS-Child Programs
Company/Organization: Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA)
Company/Organization website: http://www.micaonline.org
Destination: Ames, IA
Timeframe: Spring
Advisor/Coordinator Email: enloe@iastate.edu

Responsibilities

I shadow the home visitors (“Infant Toddler Developmental Specialists”). I go on home visits throughout the week to see families in their homes at their weekly times. I help plan and implement specific activities (sometimes all on my own) to do with the child at the visit to help them with their development and find or create resources about the area of development related to the activity or an area of parenting that the parent(s) wants help with. I have helped enter observation notes and make developmental assessments based on these visits. I have also planned and implemented activities intended for the group of children from all of our families. I have gone to monthly meetings with a mental health consult and Area Education Agency (AEA) consults. I have also gone to multiple trainings about child development, parenting, and/or home visiting.

Accomplishments

Being able to fly solo at a visit and apply a lot of what I have learned from freshman year through my internship about child development, interacting with children/parenting, and family resources!

What advice would you give?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! They know you are there to learn. At least talk about what kind of things interest you. Even if they don’t have an answer or way to involve you in it, they can steer you in the right direction.

Career Connections