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THE PESA POST
The latest news, views and announcements from
Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action

June 15, 2022
NO CAPS? NO GOWNS? NO PROBLEM!

PESA social work interns prepare to enter the workforce experienced, invigorated and ready to serve
PESA interns may not don the traditional graduation garb upon completion of their programs, but that doesn’t make their commencement any less significant. Quite the opposite, because for many of our culminating interns, their experience with PESA marks the beginning of their professional careers. After all, their service with our organization has been their first opportunity to put their social work education to the real-world test. We’re proud to count among our alumni people who have gone on to careers with the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, L.A. Unified School District, Los Angeles County Child Support Services, Veterans Administration Healthcare, California Children's Services and more.
 
This year’s cohort of some 20 interns is an especially fine group of undergraduate and graduate students, each pursuing degrees in social work and related fields from such area institutions as Cal State University Long Beach, Azusa Pacific University and Cal State University Northridge.
 
“Not just anybody can be an intern for PESA,” said Director of Behavioral Health Dr. Michael Johnson at a recent gathering honoring the students. “You’ve got to have a special feel for what social work is.” For PESA, that work includes creating and presenting educational workshops on topics such as mental wellness and remedies for anxiety; providing behavioral counseling, tutoring and mentoring to students ranging from elementary to high school; and delivering supportive counseling to youthful offenders in the Teen Court program.
 
“PESA has allowed me to experience what it is like to work with minors, which is something I had never really done,” says intern Randall Cox. “Also, I developed and refined my skills in providing individual counseling, so working here has significantly added depth to my knowledge base as a future social worker and as a clinician.”
 
Indeed, PESA internships are designed to be two-way, symbiotic relationships: Interns receive professionally supervised hands-on work experience in challenging social-work situations and, in turn, our clients receive the services of passionate, committed social workers eager to develop their skills and launch their careers.
 
“We appreciate the effort, the time and commitment that these interns provided to make this a successful year for our clients and the community,” says Johnson, who recognized several interns with certificates befitting their hard work. Olivia Fuentes received the Helping Hands award for her willingness to step up and help out in numerous instances; Cassandra Orozco got the Never Miss a Beat award for her thoroughness; Cox earned the Consider It Done award for his initiative; and Darwin White was bestowed the Client Whisperer award for, as Johnson said, “his special way of reaching those youth who were caught up in drugs and gangs and generally have a negative attitude or perspective of the diversion program. He has really been able to engage clients that others have a difficulty reaching.”
 
We thank these incredible interns for their service and look forward to great things to come throughout their careers! ■

If you’d like to support PESA’s many social and educational initiatives, please contact us.