About the role#
Youth Villages offers a paid internship for undergraduate students interested in community-based mental health work. This role provides hands-on experience in child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health systems. You will work directly with staff to support children and families. The schedule is flexible and non-traditional to accommodate the needs of the families served.
What you'll do#
- Shadow specialists and counselors during community-based sessions.
- Attend community meetings with program representatives.
- Participate in pre-admission and admission sessions.
- Research and share community resources with the team.
- Attend three weekly meetings, including individual, team, and clinical consultation sessions.
- Maintain accurate and timely records in the electronic medical record system.
- Assist with other duties as assigned.
What you'll need#
- You must be actively pursuing a Bachelor's degree in a social services field, such as psychology, criminal justice, social work, or counseling.
- You must have reached at least your junior year of undergraduate study.
- A current, valid driver's license is required.
- You must have access to an automobile for work purposes and provide proof of auto insurance.
Location & details#
- Location: Louisville, Kentucky.
- Term: Winter 2027.
- Modality: On-site.
- Employment type: Part-time, paid internship.
About Youth Villages
Youth Villages is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986. It provides mental and behavioral health services to children, families, and young adults. The organization operates from its headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. With a staff between 1,001 and 5,000 employees, it focuses on areas including foster care, adoption, and crisis counseling.
How to get in at Youth Villages
Securing an internship at Youth Villages requires speed because early applicants often reach the recruiter before the candidate pool becomes unmanageable. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first. This gives you a clear advantage over those who wait for the posting to circulate on larger job boards. You can use this extra time to refine your application materials to match the specific needs of their behavioral health programs. Beyond the initial application, you should aim to connect with the people actually managing the hiring process. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can reach out directly to ask about the role or a referral. Reaching out directly materially improves response rates compared to submitting your resume into a general queue. A brief, professional inquiry shows you have done your homework on their work in child welfare and mental health.



