Ideal for college graduates looking to put valuable hands-on experience and state-of-the-art management skills under their belts.

Successful completion of the six-month program will prepare interns to be placed in an entry-level supervisory position. Join our elite team committed to providing a work environment in which everyone is treated with care and respect.

The Leadership Intern Program is a carefully constructed, six-month apprenticeship into the world of working with individuals who have developmental disabilities. It was designed primarily so the Delaware County ARC could "grow its own" leaders. 

Elements of the apprenticeship include:

Intended for people who have a college degree but little or no practical experience, this unique program focuses on grooming the intern's leadership qualities. At the Delaware County ARC, this directly relates to being fully vested in the organization's Unifying Principles, or core values. 

In the Leadership Intern Program, the QMRP (Qualified Mental Retardation Professional) is trained and nurtured to aspire to a highly skilled professional who will forever have the needs, desires, and well-being of those they serve at the forefront of every decision. 

An Intensive Six Months, Fast-Paced & Rewarding
Leadership Interns begin their training in a classroom or instructional setting for people being served by the organization. Here, the intern gathers the hands-on tools required to ensure their ability to support any staff they may supervise in the future. While in the classroom, the intern works on practical goals. They get to know each individual being served and work to develop relationships with each of these individuals. This is important since it affects the learning potential of those being served.

In addition to practical experience and in order to give the proper educational and informational foundation, the internship includes reading and written analysis of various material related to the field and to the organization. Fundamental to a leader in this field, is the ability to analyze data and conceptual information to better advocate for individuals who have disabilities and create the best environment in which they can succeed. So while more academic, this element of the program will also serve a practical purpose in the leader's development.

An integral part of the Leadership Intern Program comes when the intern is able to perform case management and advocacy. The skills necessary for this shift are introduced as early as week eight of the internship. The intern starts by evaluating the charting methods of various goals to ensure they are consistent with the training objectives. This process leads to the full case management for a classroom of six consumers at the end of the six months.

Throughout the program and key to the intern's success, is a carefully-chosen, skilled and understanding mentor. It is imperative for the intern to have someone to whom they can turn and from whom they can learn. This skilled supervisory staff who also serves as the intern's mentor, teaches and models the rules of leadership within the agency and helps the intern develop all they have learned from their practical experience and research in order to apply it to their everyday work.

Apprenticeship Accomplished, What's Next?
Almost as important as who you are and how you are trained is where you are placed in the organization when you have finished your apprenticeship. Every individual who goes through the Leadership Intern Program will bring with them their own specific traits, experience, education, and motivation. It is the job of the organization's leadership and more specifically the duty of the mentor to evaluate the intern's strengths and offer assistance in placing the intern in an environment where they will succeed.

Through the six month internship, the intern's assets and talents are revealed. This program is in-depth, allowing very little to be left to chance upon its completion. Through proper mentorship, work assignments, work evaluations, and written assignment reviews, the intern is steered toward a good job match within the agency.

For application information, e-mail personnel.