Student Internship Reflection's: Susanna Alanko
After receiving my acceptance to Virginia Commonwealth University’s Master of Social Work program, the next few months felt like a whirlwind of change as I packed up my life and moved to Richmond only a couple days before starting classes. I felt a little unsettled when I started as a Newcomer Education Intern. I was new to the city, new to social work, and new to the resettlement process. During my first day as an intern, I tried my best to understand the cultural norms and experiences of Richmond’s diverse immigrant and refugee communities. By the end of my time, I could share these things with others and do this work with confidence.
I was given the opportunity to support Adult Newcomer Education Classes, where I conversed one-on-one with students learning a new alphabet and language. The determination shown by teachers and students in these classes was infectious for me. Each morning spent with the English class cohort, I hoped to provide support to students through repeated pronunciations and practice conversations. I still think about the progress I saw in one particular client — an older woman who was a beginner in a class of more advanced speakers and who often offered me tea during class breaks. She went from not knowing the Latin alphabet at all to perfecting her pronunciations in a short amount of time.
As a newcomer to the field, I am grateful for this client-facing experience. Long-term volunteers recommended local eats and spoke about their lives, their children, and their homes. In the same vein, I enjoyed hearing newcomers’ stories, learning about their journeys, and, of course, eating home-cooked food during English class graduation ceremonies. As contracted childcare employees provided the necessary backbone support, I gained experience in childcare while supervising young children during English classes. I received training in cultural competent care, organized and supported conversation cafes, and attended sewing classes.
I have yet to reach a year of living in Richmond, but my time at ReEstablish Richmond helped this city quickly feel like home. The ReEstablish Richmond team members were always open to provide extra support and answer my questions, and their clients always welcomed me into their classrooms and homes.
In the future, I hope to see education classes expand to meet the needs of the newest members of our community. I hope to see continued connection between Richmond residents. In my own life, I feel more confident in my decision to pursue social work.