Summer 2026 Paid Internship - Nashville, TN

Overview

Experience the kind of internship that will change lives....the lives of youth and your own! Youth Villages' commitment to helping youth & families find success spans more than 35 years and includes a comprehensive array of programs and services. 

Responsibilities

Youth Villages places interns each summer throughout our Tennessee residential treatment programs and group homes in Memphis and Nashville. Interns serve as assistants to the treatment team for a specific group of youth referred for a variety of behavioral and mental health needs. Initial training will be provided on child development,  trauma-informed care, crisis de-escalation, and more before beginning work with our youth.

The internship is a 10-week, full-time, paid position running from May 26 - July 31, 2026. Interns must be able to commit to work for the duration of the summer. 

Opportunities are available for bachelor's level interns. 

The internship is a 40 hour/week position. Schedules will vary depending on residential treatment program assignment, training, and/or other events. 

• Bachelor's level interns in Nashville will work alongside our group home staff and leadership Monday - Friday, 8 hours a day, approximately 11am-7pm (could vary depending on activities of the youth)

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Providing a positive role model to residents by participating in all activities, demonstrating a healthy and wholesome approach to life, & developing a sense of community
• Assisting youth with the positive development and implementation of individual goals and objectives
• Attending cottage/courtyard planning meetings and treatment team meetings
• Assisting in resolving conflicts with residents using problem solving techniques and role playing
• Giving residents immediate feedback on appropriate and inappropriate behavior 
• Planning and leading recreational activities and participating or instructing youth in games
• Facilitating ongoing group evaluations throughout the day for planned groups, activities and responsibilities.
• Working with other staff and residents to develop and implement life skills groups
• Responsible for maintaining a safe program environment through appropriate responses and attendance
• Adhering to treatment model and Re-Ed philosophy
• Participating in weekly consultations with other interns and campus leadership

Offers for our paid summer internship program are made on a rolling basis until all slots have been filled. Final deadline to apply is April 1, 2026 but spots are limited so we recommend applying as soon as possible. 

Please note: Interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. 

Qualifications

Must be at minimum entering junior year of undergrad program 

If pursuing Bachelor’s degree, social services major is preferred & open to relevant experience

Experience working with at-risk youth and/or leadership experience is preferred

Must be able to provide own housing & transportation in Memphis or Nashville, TN 

Must be able to commit to work 10 weeks, 40 hrs/week for the assigned schedule 

Each year, we receive 500+ applications for the summer internship program. We appreciate your patience as you wait for a response. Each candidate will be notified of their status by phone or email regardless of the decision.

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.