Peer Support & MentorshipAt — Human Works Foundation

This internship is designed for students with lived experience or a passion for mentorship, recovery, and reentry work. Interns will serve as peer support mentors for individuals recently released from incarceration, in recovery, or transitioning as veterans. Interns will work closely with staff and clients to build relationships, provide encouragement, and help bridge access to resources, healing, and empowerment.

Interns won’t ever be left alone with clients. Most of the one-on-one interactions will actually be via messages on our secure network, which I check regularly to make sure everything is clear, appropriate, and supportive. If the interaction moves to a phone call or virtual meeting, it will still be within our secure system, and I’ll be there in the background to supervise and step in if needed. This helps us keep everything safe while allowing students to learn how to support clients.
We also train all interns on giving referrals for housing, mental health, or recovery through our network, which is something everyone on the team learns to do.

Tasks:

Interns will:

Provide peer support to justice-impacted or veteran clients through one-on-one and group check-ins

Support emotional wellness and self-determination using lived experience (when applicable)

Assist clients in accessing services such as housing, mental health, and recovery groups

Participate in outreach and engagement activities (community events, service fairs, etc.)

Maintain peer support logs and report on client progress under supervision

Attend weekly team meetings and contribute to case review discussions

Training:

Interns will receive:

Orientation on peer mentorship roles, boundaries, and confidentiality

Weekly 1:1 supervision and mentorship coaching

Training in trauma-informed peer support, motivational interviewing, and lived experience advocacy

Workshops on reentry systems, recovery principles, and professional peer engagement

Access to real-world case scenarios and success strategies from staff mentors

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to:

Apply peer support strategies grounded in recovery and reentry principles

Facilitate one-on-one mentorship and group support sessions

Utilize active listening and trauma-informed communication

Assist with referrals and service navigation

Reflect ethically and professionally on boundaries, confidentiality, and lived experience