About the role#
This is a paid internship opportunity for master's level students during the Fall 2026 semester. The program provides hands-on experience in community-based mental health services. The schedule is flexible and non-traditional, as it is designed around the availability of the families and youth served.
What you'll do#
- Shadow counselors during home- and community-based family sessions.
- Carry a reduced caseload and implement clinical interventions.
- Facilitate individual, group, or family therapy sessions.
- Utilize evidence-based practices to support youth and families.
- Complete accurate and timely documentation within an electronic medical record system (EMR).
- Attend weekly individual, team, and clinical consultation meetings for professional development.
- Provide transportation to various locations as needed.
What you'll need#
- You must be actively pursuing a Master’s degree in a social services discipline.
- Eligible fields of study include social work, drug and alcohol education or counseling, psychology, criminal justice, guidance counseling, or marriage and family therapy. Other degrees are subject to review.
- 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: Columbia, Tennessee.
- Modality: On-site.
- Term: Fall 2026.
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.
