My experience at Ride for Joy began in June of 2021. While I wasn’t set to officially be the Non-profit Program Intern until the Fall session, the RFJ staff was great and let me put in time volunteering and doing intern tasks throughout the summer to learn more about the program. There was so much to learn, and so many events to be a part of. I began with assisting the staff with the All-Abilities Camp, barn duties, donor acquisition/fundraising, and later the volunteer trainings and scheduling before the Fall session even began. Once my time to be an official intern finally arrived, I was scheduling and managing volunteers while Candace was on vacation, and working with Denae and the instructors to understand more about the functions of a non-profit and therapeutic riding. I was observing lessons, rider goal setting, and rider pairing with other riders and volunteers.
Prior to my internship, I had no horse experience. While many centers wouldn’t have accepted an intern at a horse-focused non-profit with no horse experience, the RFJ staff was more than happy to teach me everything I needed to know to be most successful. The instructors and coordinators were all kind and patient, and the volunteers were more dedicated to the success of the program than other non-profits or public programs I’ve experienced. It was through this internship experience I was able to make connections between donors and my education, resulting in a wide variety of options regarding my potential career in the non-profit community. This internship gave me the needed experience to solidify my career path and study some of the vulnerable populations programs such as RFJ serve.
For future interns, the best advice I have is to learn as much as you can. Sit down with Denae, Candace, and Natalie to understand everything they can share about program management. Spend time with Brandi and Jennifer in the barn and learn whatever they’ll share about horse and barn management. Talk to the instructors and observe how they not only go through the PATH certification program, but also what they look for in riders and how they plan the best way to help these veterans and disabled individuals. Ask lots of questions, and appreciate everything they tell you to understand how a program like RFJ can be so impactful within the community.
コメント