As a student of social work, I am required to complete a 120-hour summer internship in an agency that specializes in child development, protection, and upliftment. I have two supervisors, one in my department and the other in the agency. They asked me my address so that I can be provided the agency nearest to me.

The internship acts as "Block Fieldwork"(a period of full-time engagement for a social work student at a fieldwork agency)

I was placed in "Butterflies". It is ironically the farthest agency that I could have gotten. The accessibility is good though. I can reach by taking the 519 bus from Chattarpur bus stand which is near the metro station. If me and my classmate would have known this we wouldn't have taken the 140 rs cab.

About Us - Butterflies NGO - Child Rights, Street Children

Butterflies is a registered voluntary organisation working with the most vulnerable groups of children, especially street and street connected children since 1989. With a rights based, non-institutional approach the organisation endeavours to educate and impart life skills to vulnerable children so that they become self reliant and exit the generational cycle of illiteracy and poverty.

butterfliesngo.org

Our first day of internship was on 10 June 2024. We were asked to report at 9:30, we were there at 9:10. The supervisors weren't there by 9:50. My classmate's supervisor worked as an educator in the agency while my supervisor worked on mental health instead.

He was asked to read the brochures, annual report, and all the information of the Butterflies NGO. I was instead talking with my supervisor how the agency works with children, using a casework approach to help them overcome the mental challenges which hinder them from achieving their potential. I later read more about children cooperatives such as CDK(children's development khazana)

I had brought my own lunch but the lunch for the employees was very inexpensive, 35 rs. It was delicious.

The day felt like an introduction to the inner workings of the organization. I'll have to be there 8 hours a day. I'm glad the air conditioner is working. Its going to be 160 hours.