My new beginnings Journey: what I've learned

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 (NIV) 

If you read New Beginnings blog posts regularly, you may remember that I blogged a couple years ago about what it was like to intern and be a Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. Now that I’m back in the same position a couple years later, I would like to explain what I’ve learned from New Beginnings in the past, and what I hope to learn in the future. 
 
​When I first started out at New Beginnings, I was a writing and editing intern, which meant I did everything from writing blog posts and generating idea content for our social media profiles to creating a marketing strategy report for Brianne (our executive director) and creating brochures to help solicit donations from our donor base. When a position for Resident Supervisor opened up, I eagerly applied. I was a resident supervisor for fourteen months, which meant I watched over the building and residents when the day staff weren’t present. Now I’m back to working as a resident supervisor after taking nine months off to do a service year. This time, I’ll be helping with grant writing and administrative work. Without further ado, here’s a list of things I’ve learned.  

 ​A spirit of volunteerism and generosity

​Volunteers are the lifeblood of New Beginnings, taking care of various tasks to help enrich the lives of our residents. With so many people who are willing to donate their time, talents, or money to New Beginnings, it’s amazing that there’s anything left for me to do. 

Administrative support

​At an organization from New Beginnings, this can be anything from learning how to answer the phone to cutting out thank you cards for donors. I actually should be doing the latter right now, but I’m writing this blog post instead. 

How hard it is to be a single mom

Everyone knows that there are hardships connected with being a single parent, but witnessing them firsthand gives me a lot of respect for the moms who enter our program to make a positive change in the lives of themselves and their babies. ​

How to create volunteer projects

During my first internship at New Beginnings, I was also serving as an officer in a couple of clubs on my college campus. Having New Beginnings only a couple blocks away from my college provided an easy outlet for club service projects. ​

How to mediate conflict

​With four moms and their babies living under the same roof, there’s bound to be conflict at some point. As a resident supervisor, I’ve had to step in and mediate disputes on occasions. Managing conflict may not be fun, but it produces some extraordinary interpersonal skills. 

writing

If interning at New Beginnings has given me the opportunity to do one thing, it’s writing. I’ve written brochures, blog posts, Facebook and Twitter posts, and will soon be helping with writing grants. 
There you have it. New Beginnings is a cool place to work and intern. It’s been a great trip so far. 

​Elizabeth Scheibl is an intern and resident supervisor at New Beginnings: A Home for Mothers. She is currently seeking full-time employment. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and walking.