The Pinkerton Mentored Intern program is a 12-week program for young adults in JCCA’s Foster Care program. Mentees are matched, according to their interests, with a staff member in one of JCCA’s administrative departments. Pinkerton interns also attend weekly workshops that cover career and life skills. K., a high school sophomore interned with the Communications Department at JCCA because of her interests in writing and graphic design. This is her reflection on the internship.
My experience in the Communications Department with my mentor A. was very interesting. I did a lot of fun activities with my mentor, A., and learned more things about JCCA. My mentor is a very bubbly and open person. I like that in a person, you don’t need to pretend your feelings with someone.
Honestly, at first, I wasn’t really comfortable talking to A….but she really grew on me. Our relationship as a mentor and mentee continued to grow and I am sad the internship came to an end. My internship was never boring, she always managed to make the conversation lively. She taught me about writing a resume and using programs like Excel. She also helped me improve my notetaking skills. We did a lot of writing for marketing emails and social media. I’m very proud a social media marketing idea I had was used by the team. A. really believes in me and even sent me books on subjects I was curious about. She and I still text, and I know she will be there for me if I ever need advice in the future.
I also attended workshops taught by other JCCA staff as part of the Pinkerton Internship program. They taught me a lot about career options, finding housing, and applying for college. I even learned about driving school! They also taught life-skills like cooking and decorating on a budget. At the workshops, I met new people and other kids. Everyone was nice and energetic. Even though it was virtual, I loved putting on my camera and seeing everyone’s faces. I loved working with Pinkerton.
It was always nice to meet more people that work with JCCA. I usually don’t really like meeting new people —mostly because it’s awkward the first time you meet someone. Now I’ve realized I’m very energetic and like to talk. This internship helped me realize that I can have fun even when working. The biggest challenge was keeping up with school and Pinkerton, but it was worth it.