International internships are an extraordinary way to gain experience AND be able to live overseas. It's like a double bonus! I'm so pleased to introduce you to our new International Internships Editor, Marion Robinson. She'll be sharing stories of her three (so far) international internships here on Wandering Educators. Her background is incredible and she's an inspiring example of someone who LOVES to live in and explore other cultures.

Presenting at a 3-day staff development workshop in Dominica

WE: Please tell us about your academic and professional background...

MR: I earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a minor in Criminology from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica in 2006. In the same year I entered the Masters programme in Clinical Psychology and graduated in 2009. During and after these programmes my client-base has been both adults and adolescents. I have worked alongside psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers in community group homes, social services, psychiatric wards and in the school system. My previous work experience has been in banking and finance but I have had the majority of my work experience within psychology during my internships and practica placements.

At a sensitization session with children at Operation Youth Quake in Dominica. Operation Youth Quake provides a "home away from home" for youth at risk in around the capital city Roseau.

WE: What interested you in doing international internships?

MR: My interest in going on internships grew out of pure coincidence. The Caribbean Internship Project (CIP) is offered through the Department of Social Work in the Faculty of Social Sciences where the Clinical Psychology programme that I was enrolled in is also offered. The Project was launched in 2004 as a partnership between the Centre for Population Community and Social Change (CPCSC) at the UWI in Jamaica and the Barbados-based Caribbean Child Support Initiative (CCSI). The UWI in Trinidad and Barbados as well as the Universities of Belize and Guyana have all been working in collaboration with the UWI in Jamaica to ensure a regional response to research, advocacy, training, outreach and intervention needs, by assigning students/interns to assist with problems faced by child-focused agencies in the Eastern Caribbean. At the start of my 2nd year in the clinical programme I went to the Social Work office to drop off an assignment when one of the project officers told me about CIP. Because of the nature of the internship, that is I would have to be away for at least three months, I decided to apply during the summer of the following year when my courses would not be interrupted. I did and was accepted for Dominica in September 2008. While there, I worked with the Roving Caregivers Programme (RCP) which, among other things, provides stimulation for children from birth to three years old by trained caregivers. I also worked with the Ministry of Community Development’s Social Welfare Division where I conducted psychological assessments and counseling with adolescent probationers as well as adults undergoing personal crises.

Giving a television interview during a workshop put on for the probationers who are seen by the Social Welfare Division. The workshop was held at the Grand Bay Youth Centre in Dominica.

WE: Where have you done international internships?

MR: My placements have all been in the Caribbean: two in Dominica and one in St. Lucia.

Photo op with one of the mascots during Dominica's independence celebration

 Pigeon Island is a historic site in Gros Islet St. Lucia

WE: What have you found to be the biggest challenge(s), while working on an international internship?

MR: On my internships I have conducted psychological assessments, brief therapy, seminars, and workshops. Conducting psychological assessments were challenging because of the lack of assessment tools at the placement sites. These tools - for example the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) or the Rorschach, among others - measure intelligence, screen for academic achievement and assess personality styles. The clients that I saw, because of their presenting problems, would have benefited from the information that these tests provide, in order to help guide their treatment plan. However, without the necessary tools the assessments may not have yielded the in-depth results that I would have liked. Notwithstanding, I was able to gather substantial information to guide the treatment process by using paper-based assessment tools such as the Rosenberg’s Self Esteem Scale and other measures, along with diagnostic interviews with the clients and their family members. A lack of assessment tools is a common challenge for sites within the Caribbean that offer psychological assessment, not only because this intervention method is in its developmental stage but also because the tools are very expensive.

A beautiful sunset on the boat heading back home from Soufriere

WE: How have you found your international internships? Are there any rewards?

MR: The internships have proved beneficial both personally and professionally. My placement in Dominica was the first time I had traveled outside of Jamaica so I was excited and grateful for that opportunity. The experience made a little clearer for me my desire to incorporate traveling into my career. It is satisfying to be able to practise what I learned in the clinical programme while finding my own personal style where the discipline is concerned. I feel lucky to be able to do this since not a lot of graduates, particularly in the field of psychology, are able to find jobs within the Caribbean that utilize their skills after they have graduated. Most of them have to go overseas, particularly in North America or Europe where psychology has made greater strides and where more opportunities are available in comparison to the Caribbean. The challenges previously mentioned also turned out to be rewarding because it tested my ability to be innovative while remaining ethical.

The Gros Pitot and Petit Piton are major tourist attractions in St. Lucia. Both overlook Soufriere Bay in the southwest of the island

WE: How do you fund your international internships?

MR: My internship to Dominica was funded by grants provided by the Bernard van Leer Foundation, University of the West Indies and the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ). The grants which are administered by the CPCSC cover a stipend (not a salary), the cost of return air travel, local travel, accommodation, meals and personal expenses. My internship to St. Lucia is self-financed. I receive a stipend from the Centre for Adolescent Renewal and Education (C.A.R.E.) where I am placed, which is not directly affiliated with CIP.

The relief effort after the Hurricane was essential even in the ensuing downpour of rain which threatened to hamper the process

Flood waters rise in the capital Castries after heavy rains made roads impassable

WE: Do you have any tips or advice for students and educators looking for international internships?

MR: The first advice I would give is to be open to and respectful of other cultures. Although my internships were all in the Caribbean and Caribbean people have a lot in common, each island that I visited had its own unique way of life. Being emotionally adjusted will require you being able to appreciate and live within a culture that may be different from your own. I think this is true even if you are placed in another city within your own country – the cultural diversity may not be as stark as if you had moved to another country, but learning to adjust to change will help to make the time away from home a lot more manageable regardless of where you are placed.

Also, be prepared to take on leadership roles. You may be placed at a site where you may be the one with the highest level of expertise, even if you are a recent graduate.

Additionally, network and keep in contact with the persons that you work with on your internship – you never know, you may just be offered a permanent placement.

Also, have fun but always be professional when it is most essential – it will not matter how much you know, you will not be taken seriously or invited back if you do not portray yourself in a professional manner. The circumstances may not be ideal on all your placements, but use the opportunity to grow professionally.

In addition, be prepared for unforeseen circumstances that may require adjustment to what you were originally intended to do on the internship. I was placed at a school in St. Lucia but the island was badly affected by a hurricane in October which meant school was closed for three weeks. During that time I assisted with crisis intervention with victims and emergency responders. This was not a part of my contract going in, but as an intern you should always look for opportunities to broaden your horizons and be adaptable. In fact, that experience was fulfilling in some respects because it pulled on some of my strengths that otherwise I may not have been given the opportunity to utilize on this placement.

Last, check with your university faculty whether there are any internship opportunities offered. I was not aware about CIP before dropping off that assignment, yet the programme had been running for four years prior to my applying.

On a boat heading to Soufriere to assist with crisis intervention after the passing of Hurricane Tomas on October 30, 2010 in St. Lucia. Soufriere and the adjoining community of Fond St. Jacques were badly affected with over 14 persons reported dead or missing.

WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

MR: I am always looking for and welcome opportunities to contribute and to grow personally and professionally. I think it is important to live your purpose and I hope that in all I do I am able to achieve that.

WE: Thanks so very much for sharing your international internships background, Marion - and we're happy to welcome you to Wandering Educators.

All photos courtesy and copyright Marion Robinson

Feature photo: A beautiful sunset at Layou beach in Dominica