Sunrise Internships
Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center offers internships for students pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees. We currently partner with Texas State University, The Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas Austin, St. Edward’s University, and Baylor University. We also welcome the opportunity to partner with other accredited social work programs.
During this historic and tenuous time in Austin for people experiencing homelessness, an internship at Sunrise is an invaluable in-person learning experience for social work students. Interns at Sunrise are integrated with the Sunrise Hub, Sunrise Mobile, and Sunrise Hotline teams while working closely with our Wellness Team and agency partners from across the community.
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Hub Navigator
Interns on the Sunrise Hub team provide case management and housing navigation services to people experiencing homelessness, including those experiencing chronic homelessness with complex needs. Interns engage, build rapport, assess client needs, provide crisis counseling and make appropriate referrals.
Interns complete pre-assessments for the Coordinated Assessment, complete applications for local benefits and resources, and assist in data collection.
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Mobile Navigator
Interns on the Sunrise Mobile team engage in outreach with unsheltered adults who often live in encampments. Interns build rapport and assess client needs. They provide crisis counseling and make appropriate referrals. Interns assist in completing applications for local benefits and resources and also conduct the pre-assessment for the coordinated assessment. MSW Interns may also have a small caseload of clients in need of more intensive housing navigation.
Interns assist the Sunrise Mobile team in maintaining spreadsheets. They attend regular client-staffing meetings with Sunrise staff, ECHO staff, and other outreach staff in the community.
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Hotline Navigator
Interns on the Sunrise Hotline team assist the staff in answering calls to the hotline. Interns conduct the initial pre-screen for CAs. The intern engages, builds rapport, and assesses client needs. They provide crisis counseling and make appropriate referrals. Interns may also assist in completing applications for local benefits and resources.
Interns assist the Hotline team in maintaining spreadsheets. They attend regular client-staffing meetings with Sunrise staff, ECHO staff, and other outreach staff in the community.
Benefits
Direct client experience with a diverse population of individuals
Opportunity to work within a holistic, person-centered, strengths-based framework
Immersive experience with housing navigation, resource referral, and crisis intervention
Familiarity with local resources and understanding of the complex web of services
Collaboration with a diverse group of professionals working in community mental health, community healthcare, harm reduction, substance use services, and housing services.
Mezzo opportunities to participate in agency-wide decision making within a growing nonprofit
Macro level experiences related to addressing systemic barriers and system level change, including advocacy opportunities
1 hour of 1:1 supervision each week with a university-approved Field Instructor
Requirements
Ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment
Comfortable being on your feet and working outside in various temperatures
Flexibility and relatability to staff, volunteers, other interns, and clients
Ability to maximize use of technology and self-start is necessary
Willingness and capability to work within a faith-based nonprofit setting
Interested in learning more? Contact your university’s Field Office.
In addition to the available positions above, we also accept marketing, communications, and administrative interns. If you have any questions or want more information about our internship opportunities, please email internships@sunriseaustin.org.
About Sunrise
Since 2005, Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center is the largest provider of homeless services in Travis County! We offer pathways to housing for people experiencing homelessness through low-barrier access to wraparound services by providing innovative, trauma-informed, and person-centered programming that engages our communities and leads system-wide transformation.