Today is my last day as a HOPE Anti-Trafficking Intern with
the International Rescue Committee. This month has been a truly amazing
experience. I met a myriad of amazing refugee resettlement caseworkers,
individuals who are working to alleviate human trafficking, and a handful of
interns and volunteers who are dedicated to the cause. I have spent over 160
hours working with the HOPE Anti-Trafficking Program this month. My experiences
included interacting with clients through home visits, appointments, and trips
to the local food bank. I feel as if I have developed a personal relationship
with the clients. Throughout all of the car rides and other appointments, I got
to understand the clients’ struggles and learn more about their lives. It is
truly a humbling experience to be let into another’s life and to have them open
up to you.
As I am getting ready to transition out of my role with the
HOPE Program, I also had the opportunity to train a new intern coming into the
HOPE Program. We went through a ton of information relating to the partnership,
how the program is funded, and what some best practices are for conducting
outreach. I am happy there will be someone to replace me after I leave so that
the outreach continues. All in all, I am very grateful for this experience. I
truly believe that I can see the impact of my work. This is not just through
the positive feedback I received from my outreach presentation, but also
through the assistance I was able to provide my clients. I hope to continue
working with the IRC in the future and to continue working in the field of
human trafficking. This picture shows the Resettlement Director, Lisa Welze,
and me. Lisa was my supervisor during my time with the IRC.
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