Interning During a Pandemic

“My undergrad degree isn’t in Social Work, so my graduate program recommended that I intern here because they felt it would give me a good knowledge base,” says Elise Layton, Ministry with Community Social Work Intern.

Elise, a student at Michigan State University, began her internship at MwC in September 2020 as part of her master’s degree in Social Work. Previously, Elise spent eight years working in a Michigan congressional office where she connected constituents to resources in their community and the state.

According to Elise, this is what sparked her interest in Social Work. “I got to work a lot with Veterans and I really loved it,” she says, “I’m married to a member of the military. I care a lot about our Veterans and making sure they get what they earned and need. It’s personal and professional.”

In terms of interning during a pandemic, Elise was more concerned with getting hands-on experience. “It was clear when I interviewed that MwC was taking safety very seriously. I knew that I could speak up if I had any concerns. I was just ready to get in and get as much experience as I could.”

Of her internship here, Elise says, “I got to shadow Sarah (Cain, MwC Social Worker) and watch how she interacted with members. I was able to meet with the rest of the Program Team both remotely and in-person and learn from them too. They were all so giving of their time and knowledge. I helped members connect with our Social Workers and other resources in the community including housing. It’s a good environment here. I’m so grateful for it.”

Elise says that one big takeaway of her internship was the complexity of what each of our members are working through. “For people experiencing homelessness, there is never just one cause. It’s multifaceted,” says Elise. “People need to be looked at as individuals. One program does not fit all. And why wouldn’t that be true? That’s true for all of us, of course!”

Next up for Elise will be another year of school and a second internship. “I hope to work with Veterans eventually,” Elise says. “I’m in the Combat Veterans Certificate Program, but I’m open to other possibilities too.”

We would like to thank Elise for her dedication to our members during her internship with MwC. We know that anyone she works with in the future will be lucky to have her on their side.