Investing in the Next Generation of Human Service Professionals: Grafton Launches Summer Internship Program

This summer, Grafton welcomed a group of students who are spending their summer break doing something a little different: learning, growing, and making a difference alongside the people who serve our individuals every day.

Grafton’s new summer internship program was created with the hope of giving students meaningful, first-hand experience while introducing them to the rewarding work of supporting individuals with complex behavioral health challenges.

The idea grew from conversations happening across the organization. Teams from Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, Finance, Board of Directors, Executive Leadership, and Program Leadership came together around a shared question: How can Grafton help prepare the next generation of human service professionals while continuing to strengthen the workforce that supports our mission?

What followed was months of planning, market research, data collection, and collaboration. The result: a paid internship experience that gives students the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into the real-world environments where learning truly comes to life.

For many college students, an internship is their first opportunity to truly get a feel for the work they want to do. Through this program, the hope is that the interns leave with a heightened knowledge of  trauma-informed care, special education, behavioral supports, and multidisciplinary teamwork. This program is not just about observing from a distance. It’s about exposure to the real-life impact that Grafton’s trauma-informed approaches have on the clients and families served.

Throughout the summer, they will spend time in special education classrooms, community-based group homes, observe multi-disciplinary meetings, spend time reflecting and journaling, and learn directly from experienced professionals across the organization. They will also be able to obtain unique and valuable training, like the Ukeru Systems© restraint-free approach to crisis.

The response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. More than 60 students applied for this first cohort, a level of interest that exceeded expectations and reinforced the need for more opportunities like this in the future.

For Grafton, this internship is about more than filling a summer role and offering a summer job to a student. It’s about creating a pathway for future educators, clinicians, social workers, nurses, and behavioral health professionals. It’s about sharing knowledge, fostering passion, and helping students discover where their skills and interests can make the greatest impact.

The hope is to expand the program over the years, creating even more opportunities for students to learn and serve across the organization’s regions and programs, and opening the door for these students to hopefully return and join our team after they complete their collegiate studies.

For college students considering a future internship with Grafton, the message is simple: come ready to learn!

You’ll gain experience, mentorship, and professional development. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of the resilience, potential, and growth from the individuals we serve every day. In the process, you may just discover the path you want your own career to take.