Internship Opportunities with CWDR
Internship Summary
Central Washington Disability Resources is offering unpaid internships to interested individuals, with several different tracks to choose from. Based on your future career, goals, and interests, our office could be the right fit for you! Interns will work side by side with our staff as they observe, learn, and participate in uplifting individuals with disabilities. Our internships are ideal for; students, passionate advocates for disability rights, and individuals with disabilities. We lead by example, as our office is currently 100% staffed by individuals with disabilities. We strive to help others navigate and overcome barriers while ensuring that they are completely in control of the goals that they set with our office. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Internship Tracks
Outreach Coordinator Track
For those interested in community engagement, advocacy, & marketing.
Observe staff at outreach events across our five county service area (Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Kittitas, and Yakima). Learn about how organizations network with other agencies, promote growth, and interact with the general public outside of an office setting.
Assist with social media posts! See how our staff create accessible but catchy flyers for events, programs, and services. Observe how our agency uses social media to increase our presence while maintaining accessibility, and see how we utilize social media to advocate for disability pride and rights.
Participate in awareness campaigns as we strive to build consumer independence through education! Learn more about disability rights, law, and visibility.
Office Administration Track
For those interested in data entry, reception work, & record keeping.
Learn more about file organization, drive management, and note taking. Get hands-on experience with data entry, and practice your ability to multitask in an office setting.
Observe as our staff handle scheduling, practice it on your own, and learn about the importance of time management in a professional environment. This track can be utilized for any future career that involves scheduling, and will be a versatile addition to your resume.
See how a “front desk” or reception position operates. Many businesses (ours included) have a front desk. While some may think that they only answer phones and schedule appointments, the receptionist is often the most important person in the room. They can also log mail, manage inventory, and serve as the first point of contact for most interactions with the agency.
Business Administration Track
For those interested in management, HR, & non-profit operations.
Learn about managing an office! See how our admin staff train, oversee, and support our employees. If our office is hiring for paid positions while you are interning with us, you may observe the hiring process as well. Understand how to balance requirements set by job descriptions and programs while also preventing employee burnout, which is an important part of staff retention.
Observe program management! See how our admin staff ensure that programs are succeeding, fulfilling grant requirements, and creating meaningful impacts within our community. This includes planning around how to promote growth within existing programs while also looking for new opportunities to better serve our community.
Interns may also observe and participate in some minor financial work, which may include learning how to track certain expenses via receipt cataloging, coding, and submission to the bookkeeper.
Direct Service Track
For those interested in social work, case management, & experience with direct services.
Observe staff as they work one on one with their consumers, and understand how to create a caring environment while also maintaining a professional relationship. Learn how to set, maintain, and manage boundaries with those that you are working with.
Take on a few consumers of your own for a deeply hands-on approach, where you will be in charge of the intake, management, and closure of the file. This allows you to be fully immersed in the position and learning process.
Understand how our staff locate and share resources with our consumers. Each consumer has unique needs and goals, which means that we must ensure that we are locating relevant, diverse, and efficient resources. This may also include assisting with the process of filling out applications for said resources.
Requirements:
Interns must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for this opportunity.
Must meet at least one of the following: a current college or trade school student, a recent graduate from high school or college (graduated within the past 6-12 months), or are currently enrolled in a workforce training or certification program.
Must be able to provide academic schedule if enrolled, and commit to a set schedule with the agency (we will work with you based on your availability, provided that you have some time available during business hours)
Must be able to commit to a minimum of 40 hours per academic quarter/semester if you wish to gain academic credit (most institutions require 40 hours for 1 academic credit)
A desire to help individuals with disabilities, and to learn about disability rights.
This is an unpaid internship/volunteer opportunity. Interns are not eligible for company sponsored-benefits or monetary compensation under this program. This program is designed to provide hands-on learning, work experience, academic credit, and/or volunteer hours. This is a position with no official standing within the existing permanent staff. There is no promise or guarantee of a paid position at the end of the internship, but interns are welcome to apply for open positions after their internship has ended, if there are positions available.
Academic credit is rewarded by your educational institution. If you are a student seeking credit for your time, please make sure to state this during discussions with management before the start of your internship, so we may verify with your educational institution. Central Washington Disability Resources cannot influence or force an institution to give credit if they decide that your internship does not fulfill their requirements, and the agency is not responsible for lack of credit in the event that an institution declines to grant it. The Program Manager will make contact with your institution if you wish to receive credit, and will provide the information needed. Please keep in mind that most institutions will not award credit retroactively.
Those who are looking for paid positions with our organization are encouraged to check our employment opportunities page, where you will find any and all open positions.