Michelle Soble

Agency: Parenting Arizona

Term: Fall - 2001

At Parents Anonymous, I have the opportunity to be a significant part of a non-profit organization. I have been learning many necessary skills that I will use for my future career plans. Some of these skills include management and training skills, facilitation skills, and interviewing experience. My main responsibilities are to recruit and train volunteers. Once these volunteers go through orientation, I place them in programs and supervise their progress. I also co-facilitate our parent education classes and support groups. In these classes, I use much of the knowledge I've gained from Family Studies and Human Development courses. I've outlined many lesson plans covering such things as communication skills and discipline techniques. These lessons are taught to parents who are going through the Child Protective Services (CPS) system.

Parents Anonymous is dedicated to strengthening families through education and support groups. All services provided are free to parents and include free childcare. We help many families who are going through the CPS system and are without their children, as well as families who are in need of some guidance. Parents Anonymous has been around for 21 years, assisting families in our community and helping to make a difference in the lives of families.

I decided to do this internship to gain beneficial experience in working with families. I knew this internship would put me ahead of other FSHD majors when applying for jobs after graduation. It is also possible that I will have the chance to continue with Parents Anonymous as a paid employee once the internship is over. The advantages of this program are numerous, and I am putting to use the knowledge obtained in class. It is an astounding piece of information to put on your résumé that you have had the opportunity to help with community building and education.

After graduation, I plan to take a short break before working toward a master's degree in counseling. Once I receive that degree, I hope to do family counseling and continue volunteering with other non-profit organizations. Due to the growing need of family-based agencies, I will be able to move practically anywhere in the United States and find employment. With this internship opportunity, companies will see that I took the extra step towards my future.

I've learned an abundance of wisdom about families who have experienced abuse or neglect. I work with a very diverse population; therefore, I've gained knowledge about cultural differences as well as similarities. Through mentoring, I've learned what it takes to become a facilitator of parent education classes. These classes are imperative for many parents in order to get their children back. I have the chance to help these parents raise their children without harsh discipline, thus creating a happier, healthier life for both the child and the parent.

My advice to a student who is thinking about applying is, do it. Otherwise, you will be missing a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference in only I0 hours a week. You will have an invaluable career experience, as well as experience your own personal growth. This is a great opportunity to get ahead of other students in your career field, and to receive beneficial mentoring from someone other than a professor.

I've had a wonderful experience thus far at Parents Anonymous. A very memorable moment that will stick with me is when I first realized that I'm making an impact on someone's life. Through the Nurturing Program, we educate parents who are court ordered to attend. Without these classes, these parents would not be able to have the chance to get their children back. We teach parenting techniques in order to help these parents raise cooperative and responsible children. I've grown attached to many of the parents and love to hear them say, "Hey, I have my child back," and to know they are successfully using the techniques we teach.

University of Arizona | College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
School of Family and Consumer Sciences | Family Studies and Human Development

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