From Intern to Volunteer

When Brittney (Brit) Rademacher heard about Daily Work through the Master of Social Work (MSW) program at St. Catherine University, she knew we were her top choice for completing the initial, year-long internship required. 

“Employment is foundational. It’s square one of survival that gives you access to housing, food, and medical care,” says Brit. As a past intern she provided one-to-one case management, job search, and other job readiness support. “I worked with clients either weekly or every other week for several months. You got to know them pretty well.”

Training is a big part of DW’s internship program. As an exercise, Brit was given a $20 check and assigned to get it cashed without a bank account. She had to take public transportation and could buy lunch with the remaining cash. “The check cashing agencies took a huge percent. There wasn’t much left over for bus and food.” It’s a hands-on task that provides a small taste of life for many job seekers.

Brit believes Daily Work’s training program is a big reason why people stay connected to the organization. Her experience supported her development as a therapist, helping her develop skills to truly meet people where they are and gain experience in researching critical community resources for her clients.

The work is productive. I learned more about micro and macro social work practice at Daily Work.

~Brit

Brit is now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in private practice as a Sex and Gender Therapist. "As soon as I established my career, I knew I'd go back and volunteer at Daily Work."

Volunteering is a personal value that Brit makes room for, even as a busy mom of three. The move to virtual visits during the pandemic allowed her to step back in. “Technology is double-edged. On one hand it increases flexibility, but people need to have the technology and connectivity to begin with.”