Our mission in Child Life & Expressive Therapies is to minimize stressful and potentially negative impacts of medical experiences and to maximize opportunities for positive and supportive experiences.
During your time as an intern, you're a part of providing Child Life & Expressive Therapies to fulfill our mission.
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Internship objectives
- To understand and implement theories related to child development.
- To become familiar with Child Life and/or Recreation Therapy professions.
- To display appropriate leadership skills.
- To gain knowledge of growth and development.
- To interact one-on-one and in group settings.
- To become acquainted with needs of pediatric patients and to recognize creative and flexible programming.
- To gain knowledge of assessment, intervention and documentation across the age spectrum.
- To gain an understanding of the effects of stress and trauma on children and adolescent's behavior and development.
- To become familiar with written literature regarding children and adjustment to hospitalization.
- To delegate responsibilities and oversee work of volunteers and lower-level students.
- To gain an ability to plan, organize, coordinate, implement and evaluate a planned activity program and recognize its value.
- To identify strengths the student has acquired and weaknesses upon which he/she need to improve through further education and experiences.
- To begin transition from student to professional worker.
- To gain basic knowledge of the organization and administration of Child Life & Expressive Therapies.
- To gain experience as an advocate and spokesperson for children and families.
- To gain experience in preparing children for hospitalization, surgery and other medical procedures.
- To gain an understanding of other medical professionals; roles and educate them on roles of Child Life.
- To gain professional attitude, growth, maturity and judgment.
- To gain experience in working independently and as a team member in providing for psychosocial needs of children and adolescents.
- To understand importance and role of play with pediatric patients.
