Each year, Kingdom Causes Bellflower is lucky to work with passionate interns who are seeking to make an impact and contribute to the mission to mobilize the community and provide transformative services for all. This past year, we were privileged to have Arcelia intern with us as she studied online for her Masters in Social Work (MSW) at the Grace Abbott School of Social Work at the University of Nebraska, Omaha.
Prior to going to school for her MSW, Arcelia had been working in the field of social work for six years. She was motivated to pursue graduate school, so she could make more of a difference in the lives of those she serves. When it comes to her passion, Arcelia is an advocate for mental wellness. Currently, she is an ambassador for Bigger than the Trail, an organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health. She hopes to one day work with an existing organization or start an organization that incorporates mental wellness and the outdoors for either youth or those who have experienced trauma.
One of the reasons Arcelia was excited to intern at KCB was because of our organization’s focus on empowering individuals with resources that already exist in the community. She was able to contribute to this work through a collaborative asset-mapping project in which she and other staff members identified what the current resources are in the Bellflower community. She also participated in community listening by asking locals what they considered to be assets in the community and what kept them connected to their community.
Arcelia’s work at KCB did not stop there. She took the time to learn about affordable housing from the Housing Justice Institute and survey the community’s engagement on this topic. She also assisted with case management at Little House, a substance abuse treatment center for women. Lastly, she looked more into the existing research on animal assistance therapy to see how it tied to mental wellness in order to support a potential collaboration or program on equine therapy at KCB.
One of Arcelia’s biggest takeaways from her time interning at KCB was better understanding how to establish personal and professional boundaries in order to avoid burnout. She shared that she has experienced times in her life where she felt pressured to do and give everything she could to help someone, because she felt like she was the only one who cared. However, her time at KCB reminded her that she’s not the only one who cares about helping others. She admires how the team at KCB works together and supports one another to help sustain each other in community work. Arcelia contributes this supportive work culture at KCB to its faith-based roots, saying:
Through my interactions, I’ve come to understand that there are Christian people who are so warm and welcoming, who are not going to judge you for what you’ve done in your past, or what you’ve been through. That’s the kind of warm, supportive presence that I’ve felt at Kingdom Causes Bellflower and that’s what drew me here.
We have immensely enjoyed working with Arcelia these past six months. Before she finished her time at KCB, we followed up with some questions for her about her experience interning at KCB and the advice she would give to other interns. Read Arcelia’s responses below!
Now that you're at the end of your internship, how was it interning at KCB? What did you learn?
The number one thing I learned is that good things take time. Program research and development become stronger when you take time to listen to the community you are working in. Whenever I was struggling for creative insight, I knew I could have revitalized inspiration from KCB staff and community members.
Interning at KCB was fun and challenging. I felt like my critical thinking skills have grown here, as well as my relationship with staff and neighbors. I am humbled.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time interning at KCB?
Helping staff, like Manny, interview neighbors for the community listening and asset mapping project. One day we were so focused on getting interviews in, even though it was raining. Needless to say, we were soaked for the rest of the day in the office! But when it rains in southern California, you have to enjoy every minute of it!
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in interning at KCB?
Cherish the time you get to intern here because the community has a lot of value in its people. There is desire for people seeking connection. If you value belonging, being a part of KCB's mission, then you will enjoy being a part of the solution to creating lasting change.
Published to the KCB blog on August 18, 2022 - Link: https://www.kcbellflower.org/blog/interning-at-kcb