One of the key experiences recommended during my time as an undergraduate is doing an internship. Gaining work experience is key for boosting my future employability, especially as a social worker. That’s why, after my third year at Samtse College of Education, we are made to stay in the capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu to intern in different Civil Society Organizations of Bhutan from August till November first week of 2022.
I am doing internship at one of the CSO' s, called Bhutan Cancer Society. As part of social work course we had already done with the rural innovative field practicum were we had gained so many experiences by spending around three and half month in the remotest villages in Samtse. So to be able to understand social life it was essential for social workers like us to be able to adjust in both the situations to deal with any kind of cases in future. After being placed in the urban area for the internship, I came to the realization of life of the people living in the urban center where just to step out from the door stepp everything starts to work with the only thing called MONEY. In order for us to get a good personality we need money, which will also improve our self-confidence. We will become more credible, improve our capabilities, increase our confidence level, and enhance our courage to a greater extent.
With no money, no one will help us. In a world where nobody is willing to help, we feel helpless. A person cannot live and survive in today’s materialistic world without money. Today in a place called Thimphu, people have started to earn more money through unfair means, bad people take assistance from corruption, bribes, smuggling, etc. People who are lazy may follow the wrong ways to earn money, assuming that these methods are easy and simple.
me as a social worker intern i am not here in the hopes of getting a job with the organization, but rather i am here to learn and understand the inner functioning of a organizations. Bhutan cancer society is only an organization that looks after the welfare and supports cancer patients in our country Bhutan. So the first thing I had to do was introduce myself as a Cancer Society Organizations intern and also shared many new information about what organizations are up to. After that, I was assigned by my mentor from the organization. I was expected to report back to my mentor at the end of each week with questions and an overview of what I had learned.
At the start of each week, I was sent or mad to do different kinds of work. To decorate, paint, sketch, design and all for the exhibition, had visited OPD in Kidu medical unit with the cancer patient for the navigations and also had learnt the value of teamwork, coordination and cooperation.
In short, for four weeks that's been one month exactly as an intern I was treated and acted like a regular employee of the Bhutan Cancer Society. I had to be there at 9;00 am every morning, dressed professionally, and ready to have positive interactions with everyone at all times, no matter how I was feeling personally. Over those four weeks, I developed friendships with staff members of BCS, got feedback from my superiors, dealt with frustrating clients, and was for the first time treated like a fully-grown and responsible adult.
The highlight of my time there in one month was updating my reflections every week. I shared experiences and asked questions about things that I don't know. Just seeing the solidarity between BCS staff, and heading out together to socialize at the end of the exhausting day, made it all worthwhile.
During those one month in Bhutan Cancer Society allowed me to grow personally, but it also helped me to gain new skills in basic social services and client relationships experience that I did not previously have. I also gained a better understanding of life in urban cities, made a new network, and gained a few new references for the future. But most importantly, I gained a new sense of professionalism and a clearer view of what it meant to be in the professional world.
So, I would advise everyone to take the opportunity and do an internship, even if it is not necessarily in the industry that you wish to work in. There is much to gain from it on both a professional and personal level.
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