School Social Work Undergraduate Trainee

Para Los Niños Internship

Founded on Skid Row in 1980, Para Los Niños (PLN) partners with more than 10,000 children, youth, and families each year through integrated education, wellness supports and advocacy, addressing individual and systemic barriers to create pathways to success. In addition to operating early education centers, charter elementary and middle schools, youth workforce development sites and family services, PLN is the only children's mental health provider in the Skid Row neighborhood.

PLN's community transformation work brings together community members, community-based organizations, city and county agencies, elected officials, and businesses to tackle issues that impact PLN families. Ninety-three percent of families served by PLN live in areas with the highest levels of food insecurity and homelessness in L.A. County.

• Works directly on School Social Work team and manager of Culture and Belonging; collaborating with supervisor, School Social Worker, PPS Interns and other school personnel as needed.
• Assists school administrators by facilitating responsive, neutral harm circles, and supporting student conflict mediation.
• Supports classroom social-emotional presentations, including facilitating SEL instruction and leading Community Building Circles in classrooms as needed.
• Supports truancy and chronic absenteeism efforts by making outreach calls, mentoring students, and contributing to Tier 1 school wide initiatives to improve attendance.
• Supports and strengthens a positive school climate and culture by contributing to Tier 1 school wide campaigns and initiatives that promote student engagement, belonging, and well-being.
• Documents student contacts and track caseload progress to support the CYBHI initiative, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant documentation in the Wellness Coach role.
• Follows state laws regarding child abuse reporting, mental health issues and FERPA.

This internship is 16-20 hours a week commitment. Internship days are flexible, Monday through Friday; however, attendance at the site must be during school hours (i.e. 7:30am-3:30pm).

Supervision:
Students receive 1 hour of individual supervision weekly in person. We offer reflective, strength-based supervision that creates a supportive space for interns to critically examine their decision-making and emotional responses. Through guided reflection, we help interns integrate theory with practice, build self-awareness, and develop ethical, culturally responsive clinical skills. Meetings with Preceptors:
Students are assigned a preceptor at the beginning of the training year who provides additional needed support for the student to acclimate their placement and be available in the event they have questions or crises arise.

• Must be enrolled in an accredited college or university, be in good academic standing, and meet the institution's eligibility requirements for internship placement, preferably pursuing a degree aligned with CYBHI wellness coaching pathways (e.g., Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Public Health, Human Development, or a closely related behavioral health or social service field).
• Must be able to commit to the duration and hours required by both the academic institution and the internship program.
• Students pursuing degrees approved under CYBHI guidelines for wellness coaching, including but not limited to:
  Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Public Health, Human Development, or other closely related behavioral health or social service fields.
• Successfully pass all post offer, pre-employment screening requirements, including criminal background check, and provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
• Current certification in CPR/First Aid.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English are required, and we celebrate linguistic diversity, valuing the unique perspectives and strengths that multilingual team members bring to our organization.
• Utilizes Microsoft Office Suite and other business systems to perform daily administrative…