Every semester, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing welcomes interns from local colleges and universities — students studying social work, human services, and related fields who come to learn. What they leave with is often something they didn’t expect.
This spring, we asked three of our interns to reflect on their experience. Their answers tell a story not just about Stepping Stone, but about what it means to truly see homelessness — and what happens when you do.
Malik — Intern, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing
Malik came in with assumptions he didn’t know he had.
“Before this experience, I feel like I looked at homelessness more from the outside,” he reflects. “Being around residents helped me understand that many people are dealing with unexpected life situations, trauma, financial hardship, mental health struggles, or lack of support.”
What struck him most wasn’t the hardship — it was the resilience. “Many residents were still motivated to improve their lives and work toward stability,” he says. “Somebody experiencing homelessness does not mean their story is over.”
He’s carrying something else with him too — a lesson about attitude and teamwork that he witnessed in Stepping Stone’s staff every day. “Seeing staff smile, communicate with one another, and continue supporting residents even on difficult days left an impact on me. In Human Services work, attitude and teamwork can influence the environment around clients and coworkers more than people realize.”
His advice to residents: “Remain patient with yourself and your situation. Difficult moments in life do not last forever. Progress may not happen overnight — but taking advantage of available resources, staying focused on personal goals, and continuing to move forward one step at a time can make a difference.”
Thiennhu — Intern, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing
For Thiennhu, the lesson was about what makes an organization work.
“Community, collaboration, and attitude are very important,” she says. “Not only does support make a huge impact on progress for the residents and the organization itself, but so does bringing a positive attitude and having good teamwork.”
The thing she’s taking with her? “Knowing the power of having a good team and being able to meet people where they are at. You cannot do everything on your own.”
Her message to Stepping Stone is straightforward: “Keep pushing and striving on what you’re doing. Your dedication and mission is the bridge many residents are looking for to get where they need to be — and I’m very grateful to have been a part of the impact you make.”
Amanda — Intern, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing
Amanda came to Stepping Stone with a foundation in social work principles. What she found was those principles in action — consistently, every day, across an entire team.
“Something I saw at Stepping Stone that will impact my work is how all the staff work collaboratively while consistently applying the organization’s principles and values,” she says. “This showed me the importance of teamwork and making core values central in every action.”
The skills she’s leaving with — building strong ethical connections, advocating while educating, collaborating effectively — are ones she says she’s now confident will serve her throughout her career.
Her advice to residents is simple and direct: “Give yourself some grace. Everyone needs help, and it’s a positive step towards your goal, even if you need some support and guidance.”
What This Tells Us
Three students. Three different backgrounds. And yet they all arrived at the same place.
They saw a team that shows up — not just on good days, but every day. They saw residents who are not defined by their circumstances. And they left with something that can’t be taught in a classroom: the understanding that homelessness is not something that happens to other people. It’s something that can happen to anyone — and that with the right support, people move forward.
That’s what Stepping Stone is built on. And it’s what makes internships here different from anywhere else.
Interested in an internship or volunteer opportunity at Stepping Stone? Visit our Volunteer Page to learn more.