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What are some things I can do to prepare for and be a good appliant for a child life specialist internship?

My major is human development and family studies and I already volunteer at the children's hospital. But are there some other things I can do to help? #Spring25

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Kelsi’s Answer

Congratulations on choosing a career in child life! It's such an exciting and rewarding field. Volunteering at a children's hospital and studying human development and family studies are fantastic first steps. Here are a few more things to think about:

Kelsi recommends the following next steps:

Get as much experience as you can working with kids and families in healthcare settings (like volunteering at a children's hospital), in other stressful situations or with other backgrounds (like a bereavement camp during the summer or working with children with an autism diagnosis), and with typically developing healthy kids (maybe working an afterschool program or nanny). We want to see that you have experience working with kids of all ages with lots of different needs and situations. This is also an opportunity to discover what you are the most passionate about in your work with kids.
Consider applying for a practicum experience prior to the internship. This is offered at many children's hospitals across the country. You can look at childlife.org for more information. A practicum is a chance for you to spend time in a hospital setting, typically for 8 hours a week during a semester. This is a chance to shadow child life specialists, learn basics about play, teaching, and procedural preparation and support in the hospital and discover if child life is the right fit for you.
Make sure you are getting all of the required courses for certification. Check out childlife.org for the current requirements.
Consider joining the Association for Child Life Professionals (ACLP) and/or your local child life association. In Utah it's the Mountain West Child Life Association and it's free to join. Check out mwclassociation.wordpress.com for more information. Both associations look great on a resume and will keep you up-to-date on the latest requirements for certification. They also give you an opportunity to network with child life specialists in teh field.
Make sure you are connecting what you are learning in your college courses to the experiences you are having volunteering and working with kids. If you can get a CCLS mentor, ask them to review your application and practice interview questions. Being able to articulate your education and experience in those settings is vital to getting an internship.
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