Day Time In Lunch Time Out Hours Worked

Monday 10 am N/A 5 pm 7
Tuesday 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Wednesday 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Thursday 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Friday N/A N/A N/A 0
Total (weekly) 31
Total (to date) 31

JOURNAL 1 (5/9 - 5/13)

I am doing my internship at The Brighthouse in Milledgeville, Ga this summer. The center has

gone well so far, especially since starting to get a little closer with the employees. There are only 4 people

who come on day-to-day basis, so it has been easier to get to know everyone. Before coming in, I was

nervous about being the only intern but there are 2 others from Georgia College at this facility. It has been

nice being able to talk and relate to each other since this is a whole new ballgame for all of us.

The week was kind of slow, having only about 5 cases. As interns, we are not allowed to discuss

open cases but we are able to communicate with the patients as a receptionist would. On the first day,

training courses were completed. We had to do these before any other steps could be taken. There were 3

different courses that took about half the day to complete. They covered types of abuse and neglect,

cultural competency, and civil rights of the patient. A confidentiality form also had to be completed

before learning more about the center and their duties. We also had a quick overview of the cleaning

duties around the place for when the patients leave. The Brighthouse received a donation of a variety of

fidget toys, which we organized and placed for the patients to pick from after appointments. (you should

have seen how many there were).

The second day consisted of us getting ready for a meeting with officials in Milledgeville and

people working on open cases. We watched for the door and phones while the meeting happened, since it
consisted of everyone in the building. When answering the phones, there is only so much we can talk

about so we usually just take a message if the person wanted to leave one. I was also able to meet the first

patient since being there, even though it was only for about 3 minutes. As interns, we greet everyone who

walks in and show them to the waiting area. Since all forms were completed, we were able to watch an

interview from a previous case on sexual assault. This gave me a little background and insight of the

types of things that walk through the door.

On Wednesday, we were able to watch another interview case, this one being on sex trafficking.

It was crazy to see and listen to these kinds of things (not on TV), really showing me how you could

never really know about a person. I think watching these videos have ben most helpful so far in trying to

understand what the center stands for and does for the people. On Thursday, we learned more in depth

cleaning duties to do around the center, both day-to-day and weekly. There were a couple of patients who

came in that day, so we were able to interact a little bit. This week honestly flowed better than I thought

and made me excited to intern here.

JOURNAL 2

Day Time In Lunch Time Out Hours Worked

Monday (5/16) 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Tuesday (5/17) 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Wednesday (5/18) 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Thursday (5/19) 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Friday (5/20) 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Total (week) 40
Total (to date) 71

This week has gone a lot smoother compared to last week. I am much more comfortable in my daily

responsibilities around The Brighthouse and able to act like a real member of the team. On Monday, I

walked into at least 50 bookbags that had been donated for the children coming in. The bags were

prefilled with a variety of necessities for certain age groups. They were already tagged with a label, just

needed to be separated into categories so it is easier for the center to find down the road. Our facility has

very low storage space so we had to rearrange closets and shelfs in order for the bags to be put away. It
was amazing to see the amount of time and money the organization spent to have something special for a

child in need. We had a case come in that day, which I greeted at the door and made sure the children had

enough toys, snacks, drinks, etc. To finish the day, I cleaned the center by sweeping, wiping down the

bathrooms, taking out trash, etc. as well as closing for the afternoon (close blinds, curtains, turned out

lights, make sure doors are locked).

Tuesday was a little more relaxed. We had no cases or counseling for the day, so it was just the

employees and interns in the center. We started conversations on the future project for this class and the

opportunities that tag along with it. As an initial thought, we are thinking about tabling (maybe

downtown) in order to raise awareness about sexual assault and advocate for The Brighthouse Center. We

are also thinking to put up flyers in areas like gas stations, restaurants, or places that have a lot of traffic.

We finished the day by doing our daily cleaning duties.

On Wednesday, we got together a couple of bookbags for cases coming in the next day. We give

these bags out whenever a child leaves The Brighthouse to show that we are there for them and their best

interest. I think this is an important tool for the center to use because it will allow the children to let their

guard down a little bit and feel they can trust us.

On Thursday, we had a case come in early. For some cases, there are interviews with the patient. The

interviewer asked me to sit with the child while she took a break, which meant just having casual

conversation, avoiding the topic of why they are at the center. This was my first time sitting with one of

the children so I was especially nervous that I would say something wrong. To my surprise, it went really

well and was a lot easier than expected. I think this is one of the bigger moments that have happened to

me so far at the internship because I felt that I was helping, even in the smallest of ways. We are not

aloud to discuss open cases with the employees, so it’s hard to be included in the daily work of the center.

We also did our daily cleaning duties in order to close the center.
 On Friday, there were no cases or counseling, so we watched an old case interview instead. The day

also consisted of answering the phones and taking messages. There wasn’t much to do around the center,

since all the cases were finished for the week and paperwork from our side was complete. We also

finished the day by doing the regular cleaning duties.

JOURNAL 3

Week 3

Day Time In Lunch Time Out Hours Worked

Mon. (5/23) 9 am N/a 5 pm 8
Tues. (5/24) 9am N/a 5pm 8
Wed. (5/25) 9am N/a 5 pm 8
Thurs. (5/26) 9 am N/a 5 pm 8
Fri. (5/27) 9 am N/a 5 pm 8
Weekly Hours 40
To date Hours 111

The internship is starting to become more and more familiar and feel like I have an actual job. I

was honestly dreading the “working for free” thing, but it doesn’t really come to mind; it’s fulfilling to

see how I could help someone in the smallest of ways (the patients).

The Brighthouse had no calls over the weekend, so on Monday it was just us in the office. The

interns caught up on anything that needed to be done like cleaning tight corners and moving things to

look better around the center. We try our best to find little things to do that could be seen as helpful, but

there is a lot of down time at this place.

On Tuesday, we had a couple of counseling sessions come in, so I got to talk with the families for

a few minutes. I enjoy being able to be apart of their healing journey and make them feel welcome in our

center. I think I look forward to this because it gives me a new face and new conversation to start. Both

families were there for no more than an hour a piece, so we just greeted them at the door, talked for a few

minutes, and then disinfected the areas they were sitting in once they left. The day was finished with

some basic cleaning of the whole center.

 Wednesday, we had a medical case come in. We typically only do medicals on these days since

this is the only day the nurse comes in. We got to greet and talk to the family for a minute or two and then

showed them to where they needed to go. After they left, we disinfected the rooms the child went to and

made sure everything was put away (any fidgets/toys the child was playing with).

Thursday was by far the best day because I finally realized we could know about the open cases

at the center. Previously, I was under the impression that only the closed cases could be talked about and

used for our education. Now that I know this, I have asked to sit in with family meetings (if okay with

them) to gain more hands-on experience at The Brighthouse. There were no cases this day, but daily

cleaning was done, and everything got put into place to prepare for the next day.

Friday was a slow day with no cases, but someone stop by to make a donation to the center. It

consisted of at least 15 trash bags full of individual feminine packs to give to patients who come in. I

talked with the woman dropping it all off and found out she does everything by herself and started her

own “company” doing this. It was inspiring to see how much effort a person puts in when they really

want to. It made me start to think of small things I could start doing that would make a difference in the

community. Just a really cool conversation.

JOURNAL 4

Day Time In Lunch Time Out Total

Mon. 5/30 9 am n/a 5 pm 8
Tues. 5/31 9 am n/a 5 pm 8
Wed. 6/1 9 am n/a 5 pm 8
Thurs. 6/2 9 am n/a 5 pm 8
Fri. 6/3 9 am n/a 5 pm 8
Total (weekly) 40
Total (to date) 151

Coming to work is starting to feel more natural and like I have a real job. I love having a set

schedule weekly, with no surprises. The center is only open from 9-5, so in order to reach enough hours I

need to be here at the same times everyday.

 Monday was a holiday, so the center was closed for the day. Instead of doing work in the office,

our supervisor sent us some training videos to watch to catch up. The course I went over was on human

trafficking. There were a series of courses under this category, which totaled out to 8 hours for the day. I

think these are very beneficial because they don’t only give you overviews and lectures, but there are

scenarios that you have to work through. I like this because it gives me a chance to think about what to

say, while letting me know if it’s right or wrong. I have such a big fear of insulting or triggering anyone

who comes into The Brighthouse, so these give me a little preparation.

On Tuesday, there was one counseling case that came in earlier in the morning. I greeted this

family at the door and welcomed them in while our counselor got ready for them. Other than this, is was

kind of a slow day with no other cases. I did get to watch a previous interview done that involved sexual

assault. While watching these, it is starting to become easier to not get so involved with the cases and find

my personal boundaries.

On Wednesday, we had a medical case come in as well as an interview. The families were

coming in around the same time, so it was important to keep to two separated into different waiting areas.

I was able to interact with these families a little more that I usually do, which was a great part of my day.

It puzzles me though how people come in here with something I find insane, but act so calmly and

natural. That is a hard part I had to overcome because you can never tell what is about to come through

the door.

On Thursday, the center had no cases. Since we had down time, I watched another interview that

had been previously done involving abuse. This was my first time seeing a patient who was taken away

from her family for safety issues and it honestly broke my heart. It was tough to see how a parent could

take advantage of their own child, completely disregarding their feelings. This gave me insight on how

the relationships between parents and children can be so diverse and unnatural.

Friday also had no cases scheduled so I organized and cleaned the center. I made sure all

amenities where restocked (soap, toilet paper, towels, snacks, drinks, etc.) and everything was put back in
its place. This consisted of the toys in the lobby, as well as various boxes of fidgets in the advocate’s

lobby. During some interviews at the center, an intern will sit with a child while the interviewer takes a

break. I went over several previous interviews and talked with the employees to find better ways to

interact with the children during this break. Its confusing because the child will be talking about

something traumatic and then during the break not supposed to talk about anything pertaining to their

case. I have not had a child bring up their case during the break yet, but I am terrified for if/when it

happens.

JOURNAL 5

Our project has seen a little progress this week. We have at least 4 gas stations permission to post

a flyer/poster in their facility. Along with this, there are two restaurants in downtown Milledgeville that

will let us hang some of the same flyers in their bathrooms, which will allow someone to get our contact

information secretly, if needed.

On Monday, the center had no cases but was busy filing in things for the week. Over the

weekend, there were many calls and in progress cases that needed to be put in our system. There isn’t

much we can do as interns because it is all on one of the employees computer, but it was interesting to

hear about some of them. Since no one was coming to the center that day, I deep cleaned the toys up front

and moved/cleaned the furniture.

Tuesday we had a case come in with 3 children, which all needed interviews. These take about an

hour each, so this made up a lot of the day. The parent was also briefed and given an overview of the next

steps forward that I got to sit in on. This was interesting because it allows me to see all the aspects that are

behind The Brighthouse.

On Wednesday, we had a counselling case of two children come in. Since they were so young, it

only lasted around 30 minutes each, so the rest of the day was spent cleaning, organizing, and getting
ready for the case the next day. On Thursday, we had a child come in for an interview. I also watched a

few interviews that had been previously done regarding sexual assault and abuse.

Friday was a counseling session for both a parent and their child. The child was a little behind

developmentally, which was my first time dealing with someone like this. It was super interesting because

I had to learn how to communicate on their level to make them feel comfortable and welcome.

Day Time In Lunch Time Out Total

Mon. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Tues. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Wed. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Thur. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Fri 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Total (weekly) 40 hours
Total (To date) 191 hours

JOUNRAL 8

On Monday, The Bright House had no cases or counseling sessions, so I took the day to make

sure we had all our supplies restocked and resources organized and ready for the week coming up. I went

ahead and checked our schedule for the week and got out things we provide to the families after their

appointment situated and ready to walk out the door with them.

On Tuesday, there was supposed to be 3 siblings having interviews done on them. The cases were

scheduled earlier than usual so the morning was a little more fast moving than normal. It was 30 minutes

past their scheduled time, so I called to make sure the family remembered their appointment. They then

expressed that they were stuck in traffic and would be another hour. This was a problem for us because

other sessions were coming in that day; so, I made calls and got together with the employees to find a

better day and time for them to come in. It was kind of stressful because I had to entertain city officials

and stall, only to let them know they had to leave after an hour of being there. I honestly enjoyed having

to deal with a situation like that because I had to find ways for both sides to be happy.
 Wednesday consisted of 2 separate cases that needed interviews and medicals. We try to keep one

patient in the facility at a time, so having 2 filled up most of the day. I do my usual and greet the families

at the door, show them the waiting area, and make sure they have everything they need (toys,

refreshments, ect.) I was also responsible for letting the employees know when each section was

completed so that the next employee could do their part.

On Thursday, we had a lady come in from a domestic violence shelter in Forsyth wanting our

awareness and advocate pamphlets. I helped her out for about an hour, choosing which ones pertained to

her facility and which ones we needed to order more of. It was nice talking with another shelter having a

similar mission and seeing what techniques they use.

Friday had no cases, but started and ended with ants….. yes, ants. Overnight tons of ants made

their way into our kitchen and offices. This was frustrating because there is so much stuff in the cabinets

and so many pieces of paper. The worst part was that I couldn’t spray the files with anything, so each

piece of paper had to come out and be shaken off. Overall, it was a very eventful day but I don’t know

that I could call it educational lol.

Day Time in Lunch Time Out Total

Mon. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Tues 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Wed 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Thus 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Fri. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Total (weekly) 40
Total (to date) 311

JOUNRAL 9

Day Time In Lunch Time Out Total

Mon. 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Tues 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Wedn 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Thurs 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Fri 9 am N/A 5 pm 8
Total (weekly) 40
Total (to date) 351
 Since Monday was a holiday, I went over training course online to catch up on hours. These

covered things like race, sex, disabilities and how they interact with sexual abuse and assult. I enjoy

watching these because most of the time there are real people’s stories that are learned from.

On Tuesday, the center had a case and a counseling session. This was my most informational case

yet because I sat with the family for almost the entirety for when they were there. The counseling session

was also different because this was the first adult that I have seen come in for one.

Wednesday we had no cases, so I watched a few interviews that had been previously recorded.

On Thursday, we had a family come in that needed interviews done for 2 children that ended up lasting an

hour and a half a piece. I went and talked with the mom for a little bit just about normal things and it

ended up being one of the best conversations I had for the week.

Friday was a slower day with only one case in the morning. I spent most of the day deep cleaning

the center and reorganizing. I think the employees appreciate the cleaning more than anything lol, so they

were super grateful about that.

On the last journal, I put the wrong number of hours because I was basing it off a 2 week old journal. The

amount I have listed now is updated. As for the project, we have our flyers printed and ready to post as

well as a list of things to go over at the tabling event we want to host on our own (the other intern).