Agency Spotlight: Direction Service Internship Program
Direction Service has a long history of providing meaningful, real-world internships to college and graduate students. This summer, we expanded the program beyond the University of Oregon to include to Lane Community College and Mansfield Hall, a residential living program for Asperger’s, nonverbal, and learning-challenged students. Mansfield Hall provides academic, executive functioning, social, and independent living skill support to students in order to facilitate their successful transition to college and independence.
The Direction Service Internship Program..
Provides on-the-ground experience working in an office environment.
Offers opportunities to shadow program staff during client/family meetings.
Promotes understanding of the intricacies of working with families from different cultural backgrounds, which include family dynamics, familial history, disability, race and LGBTQI community.
Meet Colin Wilfrid, Summer Intern (2022)
Written by Colin Wilfrid
At age three, I was diagnosed with autism. My parents had no idea what to expect from raising a child with a disability. Throughout most of my life, I found it difficult to fit in with a society full of people without intellectual disabilities. I was often pulled out of my school classrooms for special education, was laughed at for having dramatic outbursts, and struggled to go up to people and start a conversation. My peers eventually learned how autism affected me, but I still did not feel truly included. In the summer following eighth grade, my family moved from Seattle to the Bay Area. I felt like I needed to start over in helping my peers and teachers understand the difficulties I face as a person with a disability.
At first, I struggled to find a community of friends I felt comfortable with. But, in 2018, things changed. I joined the kindness ambassador program at Magical Bridge Playground in Palo Alto, where I volunteered alongside other teens at the playground’s Friday night concerts. There, it was so much easier to connect with people, and my fellow kindness ambassadors were the first group of friends who deeply understood the challenges I face as a person with a disability—especially since the playground is designed to be inclusive toward people like me.
To say I was happy to finally have friends I enjoyed talking to is an understatement. The community that the kindness ambassador program gifted me led me to discover my love for disability rights advocacy. Like other forms of discrimination, ableism is deeply rooted in United States history. I wanted to advocate for myself and other disabled people. I am now majoring in political science and minoring in disability studies at the University of Oregon. When I graduate, I want a career that involves influencing policy to make it more accessible and inclusive for disabled people like myself. This passion for helping people like me reach the goals they want to accomplish in their lives is precisely why I became a Direction Service intern.
People with disabilities need their voices heard regarding decisions that affect their lives. My family’s experience is like that of many Direction Service clients. As I got older, and my parents gained experience caring for a son with autism, we knew how to ensure people like me feel more included. I understood my basic needs and found friends I was comfortable talking with. I am confident Direction Service clients will have similar experiences. In fact, I am happy to share my personal experience with them, if it would be helpful.
Direction Service does a great job helping clients get exactly what they need, while also encouraging them to use their voices to advocate for their needs. No matter how long it takes, I am confident that people with disabilities like mine can find a group of friends where they feel listened to and understood. I value this opportunity to give Direction Service clients that push to be more included in their everyday lives.
