Creating community takes a team.
Here at The Well, we’re able to provide a place to belong for those who live with serious mental illnesses because of the efforts of many. Our dedicated staff members oversee numerous programs and provide case management services to help our members manage ongoing challenges. Our volunteers give of their time, energy and talents to prepare and serve meals, lead members in worship, teach life skills and more; and our donors’ faithful generosity allows us to continue to open our doors day after day.
Likewise, our interns play an integral part in serving our members. They come engaged, interested and ready to be involved. And, because the schools where they’re studying disciplines such as social work and psychology send such well-prepared students, they’re truly a part of our team.
While interns typically come to The Well with some knowledge of mental illness, gained from their time in the classroom, many have never spent time with individuals dealing with life-altering mental health challenges. But, as they interact with our members, they gain a deeper grasp of how these conditions impact real people—one that can only be built through connections.
As interns serve, our members teach them lessons they could never learn from a textbook. By the time they leave, they go not only with additional skills, but with a much richer understanding of the daily struggles of mental illness. Interns and members alike truly benefit from our internship program, and for this I’m deeply grateful.
I’m also thankful for the lasting impression that internships have in students’ lives, often drawing them back to The Well once their time of service is complete. Many return to volunteer because they’ve learned so much from our members; and, one has even come back to join our staff.
On top of it all, our interns seem very happy at The Well, and that brings me great joy. When I consider how their service enables us to better serve our members and witness the mutual benefit of the relationships they build, that joy overflows.
With joy,
Alice