About the role#
This 10-week, full-time summer internship offers hands-on experience in residential treatment programs. You will work directly with youth who have behavioral and mental health needs, serving as an assistant to the treatment team. The program runs from June 1, 2027, to August 6, 2027. You will receive initial training in child development, trauma-informed care, and crisis de-escalation before beginning your work with residents.
What you'll do#
- Act as a positive role model for residents by demonstrating a healthy approach to life.
- Help youth develop and implement their individual goals.
- Attend cottage, courtyard, and treatment team meetings.
- Use problem-solving techniques and role-playing to help residents resolve conflicts.
- Provide immediate feedback on behavior.
- Plan and lead recreational activities.
- Facilitate group evaluations and develop life skills groups.
- Maintain a safe program environment.
- Follow the established treatment model and Re-Ed philosophy.
- Participate in weekly consultations with campus leadership and fellow interns.
- Assist with treatment planning and therapy sessions under supervision (Master's level interns only).
What you'll need#
- You must be entering at least your junior year of an undergraduate program.
- If applying for a bachelor's level role, a degree in a social services major is preferred. This is required for master's level applicants.
- You must commit to the full 10-week, 40-hour per week schedule.
- You are responsible for your own housing and transportation in Nashville, TN.
- Experience working with at-risk youth is preferred.
Location & details#
- Location: Nashville, Tennessee.
- Modality: On-site.
- Term: Summer 2027.
- Compensation: This is a paid position.
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.
