Internship period solidified career plans
In social work internships, students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social services gain first-hand experience with the fundamentals of disability services. This includes working alongside professionals, joining them to visit clients, and participating in service needs assessments. Niina Heinonen, a bachelor student in social services, did her internship in Raasepori.
Disability social work serves as the initial contact point for clients seeking support from disability services. The challenging role of social workers is to determine the client’s service needs and refer them to the appropriate service provided by the wellbeing services county. This area of work was precisely what Niina Heinonen wanted to explore during her 10-week internship in the final year of her studies.
“For my entire career, I have worked with individuals with disabilities. My interest lies in understanding the client process: how clients access services, how and on what grounds services are granted. In other words, the whole service system and the laws behind it.”
During her internship, Niina got to participate in client visits for service needs assessments and witness the decision-making process firsthand.
“Making these decisions has been incredibly fascinating. It has led to meaningful discussions where, besides looking into the legislation, we sometimes delve very deeply into ethical considerations.”
“The internship period was an eye-opener for me. I learned how diverse social work is and how to apply theory into practice. It was a unique and valuable learning experience.”
Integrating into the work community during an internship
For an intern, integrating into a work community can seem daunting at first. However, Niina has nothing but positive experiences to share.
“I received an exceptionally warm welcome and was included in everything from client visits to meetings and even in development projects. Even the language barrier wasn't an issue."
Despite the work community in Raseborg being primarily Swedish-speaking, Niina, who speaks Finnish, had no trouble fitting in.
“My colleagues check in on me and treat me as one of their own. The atmosphere has been encouraging, and I have felt comfortable asking questions about anything I don’t understand."
Interns are given the opportunity to engage with our entire range of tasks under the supervision of a professional, who always remains responsible for the work done.
Interns contribute to professional development
Jaana Kaski, the social counsellor overseeing Niina’s internship, shares that Niina took the initiative to email the Disability Services office in Raseborg directly about her internship.
“We value hosting interns, as it also promotes learning and development among professionals. Working with students forces us to reflect on our own practices, challenges us to think differently, and prevents us from falling into routine patterns,” Jaana explains the benefits of internships."
Disability social work is interesting because it presents challenges and learning opportunities even for seasoned professionals. The aim is to include interns in a diverse range of tasks, while also providing them with time to process and familiarize themselves with the work. It’s fulfilling to see young social services graduates grow and carve out their own paths in the field.
Confidence in Career Aspirations
Niina’s internship has solidified her ambition to pursue a career in disability social work, leaving her confident about the abundance of job opportunities in the field. If disability social work isn’t listed as an internship option by your educational institution, don’t hesitate to reach out to the disability social work unit of the wellbeing services county.
“I’ve received more from this internship than I could have hoped for! An added bonus was participating in the establishment of a new organization during the first year of the wellbeing services county.”
Niina shares that the internship has been enriching, providing her with a wealth of knowledge and experience. She appreciates having been involved in a wide range of activities related to professional disability social work, from direct client work to development and supervisory tasks.
“I encourage all social services students to explore disability work and seek internships in the field of disability social work.”
Internship and summer job opportunities in disability social work
In the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, bachelor students of social services can reserve their internship placements through the Jobiili internship system(external link).
We also welcome university students pursuing social work studies to apply for internships. If you’re a university student and interested in a social work internship with the Western Uusimaa Wellbeing Services County, please provide your contact details using the following form: Contact form for university students.(external link)
Looking for a summer job? Explore our current openings here: Summer job