Family Services & Community Outreach InternAt — C.O.O.P. Foundation

The C.O.O.P. Foundation (Care Of Other People) is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) that has served underprivileged families in North Orange County since 1991. The Family Services & Community Outreach Intern supports the Foundation's direct-service programs under the supervision of a board member.

The intern works primarily on the Annual Christmas Family Drive, which in December 2026 reaches its 36th year serving 13 local families and more than 60 children in partnership with the Miracle League. Preparation runs September through December and includes family intake, needs assessment, eligibility screening, coordination with community partners, and volunteer leadership. The intern also supports the Foundation's year-round program sponsoring care for individuals and families who cannot afford it, which provides steady client-facing work across the full semester rather than only at the December event. This is a client-facing human services placement. The placement is structured for 120 hours across the semester on a consistent weekly schedule, with at least 80% of those hours spent in direct service and client-related work. All client information is handled under the Foundation's standing policy of never publicly identifying a recipient family.

Tasks:

The intern will demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes by performing the following duties under the direction of the site supervisor. At least 80% of the intern's hours are direct service and client-related work; administrative tasks are capped at 20%.

Direct service and client-related work: conduct intake conversations with families referred to the Christmas Family Drive, covering household composition, circumstances and immediate needs; complete a written needs assessment for each assigned family and present it in weekly supervision; assist in screening and selecting recipient families against the Foundation's criteria; work directly with children served through the Miracle League partnership and their families to identify individual needs and wishes; make documented referrals to county social services, food and utility assistance, transportation, mental health providers and primary care when a family's needs fall outside what the Foundation provides; take applications from individuals seeking year-round care sponsorship and assess need against program criteria; facilitate volunteer orientation and lead volunteer teams during Foundation events; and present a final case-based reflection on the semester to the site supervisor and the board.

Supporting administrative work, not to exceed 20% of hours: maintaining the community referral directory and keeping client records in accordance with the Foundation's policy of never publicly identifying a recipient family.

Training:

To help the student achieve the learning outcomes, the student will: complete a Foundation orientation covering mission, programs and the client confidentiality policy; attend weekly scheduled one-on-one
supervision meetings of at least 60 minutes with the site supervisor, structured around review of the student's assigned families; shadow intake and family screening before conducting any independently;
review the Foundation's community referral directory and the agencies it covers; attend Christmas Family Drive planning meetings alongside the board and volunteer team; and receive a written mid-semester and end-of-semester evaluation against the learning outcomes above.

Learning Outcome:

By the end of the academic internship, the student will be able to: conduct a structured intake interview and complete a written needs assessment for a family seeking assistance; connect clients to appropriate community resources through a documented referral process; coordinate with community partners and volunteers to deliver a direct-service program; communicate effectively with clients, donors and volunteers across differences in age, culture and circumstance; and maintain accurate, confidential client records consistent with the Foundation's anonymity policy.