Miah Manker

Major: Human Development and Family Studies
Company/Organization: Boys and Girls Club
Company/Organization website: https://www.bgcstory.org/
Destination: Ames, Iowa
Timeframe: Spring 2023
Advisor/Coordinator Email: hswebaid@iastate.edu

Responsibilities

An internship at the Boys and Girls Club is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with children and youth in a safe and supportive environment. As an intern, you will work alongside experienced staff members to develop and implement programs that promote the physical, emotional, and intellectual development of children and youth. Your responsibilities may include planning and leading activities such as sports, games, arts and crafts, and educational workshops. You may also help with administrative tasks such as maintaining records and communicating with parents and guardians.

Accomplishments

An accomplishment would be building meaningful relationships with the children and youth at the club, providing a positive role model for them, and being someone they can trust and rely on. This could involve showing up consistently, actively engaging with the participants, and being a source of encouragement and support for them.

Learning experience

One lesson that is often learned is the importance of understanding and being sensitive to the unique challenges and circumstances that these children and their families may be facing.

What advice would you give?

Develop strong communication skills: Effective communication is a critical skill in the human services field. Whether you are working with clients, colleagues, or supervisors, the ability to listen actively and communicate clearly and empathetically is essential.

Career Connections