http://ecdcus.org

Ethiopian Community Development Council, Inc.

Case Aide

June - August 2023 • Bennington, VT

What I liked

My advisors were very friendly and caring. It was a very rewarding experience as I was able to positively impact peoples lives.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Refugee Health Intern

August - December 2019 • Arlington, VA

What I liked

Small office which made communicating with other departments easy. Very friendly staff.

What I wish was different

Maybe if the office was in a different location. Not within walking distance of any metro stops and there were not any designated parking spots available for any interns.

Advice

If you are ever unsure about what your tasks are, just ask and have them explain again!
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Health Intern

May - July 2019 • Arlington County, VA

What I liked

I learned a great deal about how non-profits are organized. I also really bonded with my supervisor and her boss as well, so I know I have great references when I need them. My supervisor was very understanding and I was able to work on a wide variety of assignments.

What I wish was different

While I liked my supervisor a lot, she tended to be a bit disorganized. I think this was a common theme throughout the organization as a whole. They really wanted to help the refugee community, but they were working with limited time and resources, which can lead to some disorganization.

Advice

Stay as organized as you can. If you are working directly with clients, keep their phone numbers, email addresses, and home addresses saved so that you do not need to continually check their file.
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Refugee Resettlement Field Intern

September - December 2018 • Silver Spring, MD

What I liked

It was a very fulfilling experience working with Refugees and Asylees in helping them assimilate into their new life. They always expressed their gratitude for the help we were able to provide them.

What I wish was different

It would have been helpful to receive some pay for the position but it was still a great experience. Even though it was an unpaid internship, it was absolutely still worth it.

Advice

Come ready to jump right in and be prepared to do your best at focusing on the needs of the clients.
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Reception&Program Intern

May - August 2018 • Arlington County, VA

What I liked

Gave room for me to take on tasks that were outside my job description, and this allowed me to expand my job skillsets. Friendly environment where employees were happy to help.

What I wish was different

There were more interns- office is small, so there weren't many interns working there.

Advice

Always make sure to ask first if you are unsure on how to complete an assignment before doing it.
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Integrations Program Intern

May - August 2018 • Silver Spring, MD

What I liked

Everyone at the office was incredibly warm and welcoming. They truly wanted interns to make the most of their experiences, and learn as much as possible! I enjoyed being able to assist clients directly, and really get to understand social work and the process of refugee resettlement.

What I wish was different

Advice

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R&P Intern

August - November 2018 • Arlington County, VA

What I liked

I enjoyed meeting and talking to recently arrived refugees. I enjoyed hearing their stories and helping them settle in America.

What I wish was different

Advice

It helps if you are flexible and friendly.
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Reception and Placement - Processing Intern

May - August 2018 • Arlington County, VA

What I liked

I really liked learning more about the U.S refugee resettlement process and being able to be a part of it as well. I also liked that I had the opportunity to do a project presentation in whatever topic of my choosing; I chose to combine my passions of international human rights and refugee resettlement and how they intersect. This presentation was presented to Headquarters in person and to the national affiliates via webinar.

What I wish was different

I wish I had some hands-on experience working with refugees directly.

Advice

You will learn a lot and grow from this experience. Embrace every moment of it, time will fly by fast. Build relationships with your supervisors; they will be excellent references.
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