Program Information Description updated: 11/3/2010
Program approved for: 1st-Year MSW [X] 2nd-Year MSW [X]
Parent Agency Name:
Prevention Institute
Website:
Agency/Program Address:
221 Oak St. Oakland, CA 94607
Name of Internship Contact Person:
Linda Shak, MSW
Contact‘s E-mail:
linda@preventioninstitute.org
Contact’s Phone Number:
510-444-7738
County Agency is in: Oakland, CA.
Program Description:
Founded in 1997, Prevention Institute is a national center dedicated to improving community health and wellbeing by building momentum for effective primary prevention. Primary prevention is defined as taking action to build resiliency and to prevent problems before they occur. Building on successes from a variety of fields and applying them to new challenges, Prevention Institute helps communities, governments, and foundations design effective prevention strategies. The focus areas include: preventing violence and reducing injury, reforming our health system, improving environments for health and health equity, supporting healthy food and activity environments, and promoting mental health and well-being. As a leader in prevention strategy aimed at systems level changes, Prevention Institute has extensive experience in coalition building, strategic planning and policy development. We work extensively with public health and health sectors to move beyond approaches that target one person at a time to create comprehensive, policy-oriented strategies that change the conditions affecting health.
Clientele Served:
As an intermediary organization, we do not work directly with clients in the way a direct social service agency would. Our client base consists of other non-profits, various government agencies including local health departments, foundations, etc. The overall goal of our work at Prevention Institute is to impact the health and well-being of low-income and underserved populations
Issues Program Addresses:
Prevention Institute works on a range of different topical areas including, nutrition and physical activity, violence prevention, sustainable agriculture, health equity and community health, health care reform and mental health.
Intern Assignments:
Our student interns are assigned to a particular project or projects, and are expected to complete a variety of task associated with the projects. Responsibilities within the project may include: research and writing, conducting telephone interview, preparing agendas and materials for conferences and/or trainings, facilitating internal and potentially external meetings, attending meetings and presentations with a potential opportunity to give presentations on behalf of the organization.
Intern Training & Educational Opportunities:
Graduate interns have the opportunity to conduct informational interviews with various members of staff, shadow manager and director-level staff at meetings, conferences and Prevention Institute trainings and consultations. Graduate interns, along with Program Coordinators and Program Assistants, put their facilitation skills into practice by taking turns facilitating all staff meetings. Many graduate interns participate in trainings and external presentations which provide public speaking and meeting facilitation experience. Intern’s project work allows them to grow their content knowledge and expertise in areas such as violence against women, physical activity in schools, health care reform, etc. MSW supervision provides an additional venue to learn about the organizations, Prevention Institute’s work on a myriad of topics, and how the principles of social work fit into our work.
Intern Benefits: (Include stipend, conferences, car, food, etc.)
Stipends available, Prevention Institute is a work-study eligible placement
Other Special Placement Procedures or Requirements (Including Dates of Internship, Special Application Forms and Deadlines):
Applicants are required to submit a cover letter, resume, and 2 page writing sample.