Case Manager InternAt — Family Promise of Orange County

Family Promise of Orange CountyCase Manager Intern

Position Type: Internship
Department: Programs / Case Management
Reports To: Case Manager / Program Manager
Location: Orange County, California
Schedule: Part-time; schedule determined based on program and academic requirements
Compensation: unpaid 

About Family Promise of Orange County

Family Promise of Orange County (FPOC) supports families experiencing homelessness and housing instability by connecting them with shelter, housing resources, case management, and supportive services designed to promote long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

Position Summary

The Case Manager Intern supports Family Promise of Orange County's case management team in providing compassionate, strengths-based, and client-centered services to families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

Under the supervision of FPOC staff, the intern will gain hands-on experience in nonprofit social services, housing-focused case management, resource navigation, documentation, and client advocacy. The internship is designed to provide meaningful professional development while supporting families as they work toward housing, employment, financial stability, and other individualized goals.

FPOC case management regularly involves helping families address barriers related to housing, employment, childcare, transportation, benefits, documentation, and access to community resources.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Case Manager Intern may assist with the following duties under appropriate staff supervision:

• Support Case Managers with client intake, assessments, goal setting, and ongoing case management activities.
• Assist families in identifying short- and long-term goals related to housing stability, employment, income, childcare, transportation, education, benefits, and other needs.
• Research and connect families with community resources, public benefits, housing opportunities, employment resources, childcare programs, and other supportive services.
• Assist clients with gathering and organizing documentation needed for housing, benefits, employment, and program participation.
• Support housing navigation activities, including researching housing opportunities and helping clients understand housing application requirements.
• Assist with employment-related goals, including identifying employment resources and supporting job-search activities when appropriate.
• Conduct client follow-ups and help track progress toward established goals.
• Assist Case Managers with referrals to partner agencies and follow up on the status of referrals, applications, and services.
• Support the development and updating of individualized service and housing stability plans. FPOC's housing-related work includes identifying barriers, establishing short- and long-term goals, developing action steps, assigning responsibilities, and tracking target dates.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and professional case notes and other program documentation as assigned.
• Assist with maintaining organized client files while following confidentiality requirements.
• Participate in case conferences, staff meetings, supervision meetings, and training opportunities.
• Observe and learn appropriate crisis response, professional boundaries, trauma-informed practices, and client-centered communication.
• Assist with program activities, workshops, resource coordination, and special projects as needed.
• Maintain professional and respectful relationships with clients, staff, volunteers, community partners, and service providers.
• Perform other internship-related duties as assigned.

Learning Opportunities

Through this internship, the Case Manager Intern will have opportunities to develop skills in:

• Housing-focused case management
• Client engagement and interviewing
• Strengths-based and trauma-informed service delivery
• Housing and community resource navigation
• Goal and service planning
• Case documentation and recordkeeping
• Client advocacy
• Crisis response and problem-solving
• Professional ethics and boundaries
• Interagency collaboration and referrals
• Working with families experiencing homelessness and housing instability

Interns may observe cases involving housing searches, Rapid Re-Housing coordination, employment and childcare barriers, transportation needs, benefit access, shelter referrals, and other factors affecting a family's housing stability.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a college or university program in Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, Public Health, Criminal Justice, or a related field.
• Interest in working with families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or other significant barriers.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to interact respectfully and professionally with individuals from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries.
• Willingness to learn, accept supervision, and incorporate feedback.
• Basic computer skills, including email, word processing, spreadsheets, and electronic documentation.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and follow through on responsibilities.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills are a plus but not required.
• Previous volunteer, community service, nonprofit, or social services experience is preferred but not required.

Internship Expectations

The Case Manager Intern is expected to:

• Maintain consistent attendance and communicate schedule changes promptly.
• Participate in regular supervision with the assigned FPOC supervisor.
• Follow all Family Promise of Orange County policies, procedures, confidentiality standards, and professional expectations.
• Complete required orientation and training.
• Maintain appropriate boundaries with clients and protect confidential client information.
• Complete assigned documentation accurately and within established timelines.
• Seek supervisor guidance when encountering situations beyond the intern's training, authority, or scope.
• Demonstrate compassion, professionalism, cultural humility, reliability, and respect in all interactions.

Family Promise of Orange County maintains an Intern Weekly Schedule process identifying the intern, supervisor, week, and scheduled days, supporting structured supervision and internship scheduling.

Physical and Other Requirements

Depending on internship responsibilities, the position may require sitting or standing for extended periods, working at a computer, participating in meetings, traveling to program or community locations, and interacting directly with families and community partners.

Any driving, background check, academic placement, or other internship requirements will be communicated before placement.

Supervision

The Case Manager Intern will work under the supervision of designated Family Promise of Orange County staff. Interns are not expected to independently manage high-risk situations or make decisions outside their assigned scope. Appropriate supervision will be provided based on internship responsibilities and academic program requirements.

For students completing internships for academic credit, Family Promise of Orange County may coordinate with the student's educational institution regarding learning objectives, evaluations, supervision requirements, and required internship hours.

Equal Opportunity

Family Promise of Orange County is committed to providing an inclusive environment and considers qualified internship applicants without discrimination based on characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit:

• Resume
• Brief cover letter describing their interest in the Case Manager Internship
• School internship requirements, if completing the internship for academic credit
• Required internship dates and number of hours, if applicable

Family Promise of Orange County
714-749-0366 | www.familypromiseoc.org
174 W. Lincoln Ave. #624, Anaheim, CA 92805

Training:

Students will receive structured training and ongoing supervision throughout their placement with Family Promise of Orange County (FPOC) to support the development of their case management knowledge and professional skills.

Training will include:

General Orientation: Students will complete an initial orientation covering Family Promise of Orange County’s mission, programs, organizational structure, workplace expectations, safety procedures, confidentiality, professional boundaries, and policies related to working with families experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

Case Management Training: Students will receive an overview of FPOC’s case management process, including client engagement, assessments, goal setting, service planning, housing navigation, community resource referrals, documentation, follow-up, and monitoring client progress.

Job Shadowing and Guided Practice: Students will initially observe experienced Case Managers and other program staff conducting case management activities. As students demonstrate competency, they will gradually participate in appropriate client-related activities under staff supervision.

Weekly One-on-One Supervision: Students will participate in regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings with their assigned supervisor or mentor to review assignments, discuss client situations, receive feedback, address questions, evaluate progress toward learning objectives, and connect academic learning with practical experience.

Documentation and Confidentiality Training: Students will receive instruction on professional case notes, client records, service plans, referrals, confidentiality requirements, appropriate handling of sensitive information, and maintaining accurate and timely documentation.

Community Resource and Housing Navigation Training: Students will learn how to identify and navigate community resources related to housing, shelter, employment, public benefits, childcare, transportation, healthcare, and other supportive services available to families in Orange County.
Trauma-Informed and Client-Centered Practices: Students will receive guidance on strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and client-centered communication, including appropriate professional boundaries and respectful engagement with individuals and families experiencing crisis or housing instability.
Staff Meetings, Case Consultation, and Workshops: When appropriate, students will participate in staff meetings, case consultations, trainings, workshops, and other professional development opportunities relevant to their internship responsibilities.

Throughout the placement, assigned tasks will be explained and contextualized before the student is expected to perform them. Students will receive ongoing feedback, examples, resources, and supervision, with responsibilities increasing gradually based on the student's demonstrated skills, academic requirements, and readiness.