Late December 2023, three students in the 3rd year of the Social Worker Bachelor’s degree in Mons returned proudly from their 3-month internship abroad. It is with emotion that they shared the memories they have gathered during the time spent over there.
In the 3rd year of this Bachelor’s degree, interns have the opportunity for 12 weeks to further develop their autonomy, initiative, and take on more challenging tasks: assisting more vulnerable or endangered populations. When these opportunities are combined with a journey abroad, the experience becomes extraordinary for our students.
A significant step towards the job market
During this internship, our future graduates acquired the skills and knowledge required at the end of the program. Adèle explains, “I learned new intervention techniques with children.” Armelle reveals, “I deepened my understanding of the Quebec system and refined my social work skills.”
Behaviorally, the goal of autonomy was achieved. Armelle adds, “On a personal level, I strengthened my autonomy by adopting a proactive approach to achieve my goals.” Adèle shares, “During my internship, I was considered a social worker like my colleagues because I carried out several activities alone… I managed to find my identity as a social worker.“
Doing an internship and getting closer to the profession is one thing, but living a life experience alongside is another one. Paul confides, “This return to the essentials was one of my best memories. Even though some moments were more challenging than others, this personal adventure made me evolve a lot. Experiencing a culture where life practices are completely different was absolutely incredible!”
An experience abroad that leads to self-reflection, as Armelle confirms, “When you are abroad, you must be ready to recognize and accept cultural differences because the rest of the world operates differently from Belgium.” Besides this self-reflection, the experience also allows our students to become responsible adults. Adèle proudly notes, “It was the first time I lived alone. This experience allowed me to be more independent and improve my adaptability.“
Published on 21 February 2024
HELHa Social