Make a Difference & Gain Experience

Become a Post Adoption & Education Intern

We are currently looking for an Adoption Education and Children’s Program Intern in our Saint Paul location. This unpaid position will run for four to six months and offer a variety of ways to interact with clients and children, develop curriculum and advance your clinical experience.

We hope you will consider joining our team: a team that is passionate about our work, dedicated to the people we serve, and focused on building a positive and rich environment.

Our previous interns have shared that, from the very start, their supervisors and co-workers have been fully invested in making sure they receive an educational experience that aligns with, strengthens, and enhances their learning objectives. There are a number of aspects to this role, so we’ve asked a few of our current and past interns to describe what they do and why they enjoy it. Here’s what they had to share:

Adoption Support Groups for Children and Parents

“One of my main tasks at Children’s Home and LSS has been facilitating post adoption support groups for parents and their adopted children. This has been an enriching experience, and I learn more and more every session. The groups address many clinical and general topics related to adoption, such as: race and diversity, bullying, adoption community, attachment and development, country of origin, topics related to birth mothers, identity, fielding questions, school-related issues, mental health issues and coping skills.

“As a group facilitator, I am able to create and implement age-conscious curriculum on the topics being discussed. We create projects and discussions for the children and they are able to talk about how they feel in a safe environment with other adopted children. I have been able to do research to gather information on up-to-date adoption issues and practices to incorporate into the parent support groups as well.”

Adoption Day Camp

“I had the opportunity to participate in the Adoption Day Camp during the summer of 2015. This was a fantastic experience that allowed me to gain unique insight into the adoption world. I was able to watch adoptees learn about their individual heritages and gain connections with peers that could understand them like no one else. I was able to take on several roles of responsibility in the creation of curriculum, in organizing several activities and actively participating with the youth. I was able to view adoption in new ways that enabled me to grow in my understanding of the challenges, trials, and strengths that adoptees and their families encounter. I was even able to hear individual adoption stories from some of the youth. This was an immensely rewarding experience that I would participate in again if the opportunity arose.”

Post Adoption Search and Services

“When writing a background report, you are looking back on a person’s history and providing them with written details about their birth family that they have never known before. When conducting a search, you are actually reaching out to a family member to gain information or facilitate a relationship from the adoptee requesting the search. This work is very clinically-focused, as you are directly communicating and providing outreach to adopted adults and birth families; many times helping to facilitate the relationship in the beginning stages of a search. This task can be very rewarding and challenging at the same time. It is wonderful to be a part of connecting family members and helping clients get the information that they have been hoping for. At the same time, there are also instances when your role requires you to pass along difficult news and help a person process their painful thoughts and feelings.

“I have been able to learn so much about the process of adoption and the post adoption issues that arise from completing these reports and searches. I have also been able to grow as a professional and form trusting relationship with clients while gaining valuable knowledge and support from my supervisors and co-workers.”