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School of Social Work offers students internship opportunities with senators

Written by Amy Hewes-Piper

Monday, 03 March 2008 06:51 PM

Students learn to handle constituents’ calls for help as interns for senators University legislative interns are learning about Texas politics to make changes for state residents this year. The School of Social Work offers students the opportunity to work as interns in legislators’ offices. The interns answer calls from constituents asking for help obtaining child support and utility assistance, and ensuring prisoners’ rights, said social work professor Rick Hoefer. The interns also research and develop a topic that interests them and then present the information to the legislator for consideration in future policy making. Kelly Medders, graduate student and intern for District 10 Sen. Kenneth ‘Kim’ Brimer, began her internship in August 2007. She is polite, focused and empathetic, attributes she uses to resolve the urgent and sometimes agitated calls constituents place for help. She said assisting Brimer’s constituents shaped her desire to right injustices and to apply for law school, a notion she had never considered before her internship. Medders said she is especially sensitive to the elderly. She recounted the plight of an older man who believed he was the victim of a financial pyramid scheme. She listened to his story and linked the man to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. Now he is a party in a class action lawsuit against the company. After listening to the numerous problems the elderly face — poverty, abandonment and medical care — she decided to make ageism the focus of this semester’s presentation. She will deliver her presentation to Brimer and his staff later this year with the hope of affecting future policy decisions. After that, she plans to attend law school and specialize in family law or work as a public servant. Her goal for law school echoes her social work heritage “to represent people that can’t get representation.” Joan Holland, district director for Sen. Chris Harris’ office, began her legislative career as a social work intern from the university. She still executes many of the same duties like speaking with constituents, researching nursing home legislation and collecting information on veteran’s affairs. “Interns are constituent-driven,” Holland said. ”Interns have input, but don’t formulate.” Holland accumulated the data and information surrounding social work issues and passed on the information for Harris’ consideration. She now facilitates group tours to the State Capitol. Most students pursue careers in the “traditional” fields of social work such as employment with non-profit agencies, Holland said. She considered the policymaking approach to social work to be a “non-traditional” avenue, but said it is a valuable experience for all social work students. “Interns learn how government works on the local and state level,” Holland said. Learning about the function and process of policymaking makes the “traditional” social workers better advocates for their non-profit clients, she said. “Every day you learn something new,” Holland said. Medders, Hoefer and Holland said this summer will be an important time for the offices as they prepare for their prebills due in November and the legislative session that begins Jan. 9. Hoefer said while students may work for the legislators, they are not allowed to campaign for them. The intern’s role is to work for the people of Texas. He estimates that only 20 percent of the students opt for the community and administrative arm of social work. “This is a select group with a passion for policy,“ he said. Views: 1484 | E-mail   Be first to comment this article Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6 AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com All right reserved

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 02 April 2008 04:17 PM )

 

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