The Company

Berkshire County Arc provides services for people with developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and other disabilities. Based in Pittsfield, MA the Agency serves more than 1,000 individuals and employs more than 750 people. Berkshire County Arc’s Advocacy and Family Support Department has been helping individuals with disabilities to receive quality support and services in their own homes since 2009. In addition to our Adult Family Care program, our advocacy department provides training, mentoring, social and recreational opportunities, educational advocacy, and parent networking opportunities to families throughout Berkshire County.

The Opportunity

To develop activity plans, assist with special events and new initiatives, and provide 1:1 interactions with the individuals we support. The Advocacy Department intern will gain exposure to many aspects of working in the human services field, including theoretical and practical experiences.

The Advocacy Department Internship is estimated to be 400 hours of work at $15.00 per hour, which could consist of 10, 40-hour in person (located in Berkshire County, MA) work weeks. The hours allow for some flexibility in scheduling, but would typically take place within the time from Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm. The work period is from June to August.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be some late night and weekend requirements of this position to meet the families we support needs. ALL APPLICANTS MUST POSES A VALID DRIVERS LICENSE AND HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. Interns will go through the same onboarding/training process required of all BCArc Staff. 

Specific projects intern will work on:

1. Familiarize themselves with the governing bodies and regulations relevant to Adult Foster Care and the Family Support Center
2. Work with the Director of Family Support and advocacy plus department staff to develop content for groups/activities and online course offerings to meet regulatory needs of the program and needs of the families and caregivers we support.
3. Assist with planning and organizing the Family Support Center’s “Summer Series.” Tasks will include developing a schedule of activities; contracting with facilities, artists, entertainers, other relevant entities to ensure an exciting and varied experience for participants; and helping with the Summer events each week
4. Interns will assist Evening Program and CBDS services. This will provide them with a multitude of 1:1 interactions with individuals and give them hands-on experience that will also enhance their educational experiences.
5. Delve into other BCArc departments to learn more about the wrap-around services and supports offered to families in need.

Desired Qualifications

The candidate must possess strong written communication skills, be detail-oriented, and must demonstrate an ability to be flexible to changing work conditions. Have a drivers license and reliable transportation to Pittsfield, MA.

Learning outcomes for Intern:

1. Understand regulations and governing entities of AFC and Family Support
2. Gain an understanding of the services and supports available in Berkshire County, and how to assist families to access those supports
3. Gain experience in planning training activities and recreational events for children and adults with disabilities and their families
4. Gain direct experience working with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in a supported setting.
5. Become familiar with current topics in family support and to gain an understanding of the necessity of staying in touch with social trends, policy issues, and medical information, in order to continue to provide relevant services to families.

Application Instructions

Candidates must submit a resume and a cover letter explaining their interest in the internship at Berkshire County Arc. Please address your cover letter to Berkshire County Arc.

Deadline: Resumes will not be accepted after March 31, 2024 and must be electronically submitted. Qualified students will be contacted by April via email regarding interviews.