Name: Julia Jakob
Age: 21
Nationality: German
Degree: Bachelor in Social Work
Internship period: October 2017 – March 2018

Hi guys!

My internship gave me the opportunity to work with kids and teenagers with autism, something I had never done before.

I worked at an After School Programme, run by Spectrum Care and during the School Holiday I had the chance to help out at a School Holiday Programme.

Besides learning a great deal about autism and other disabilities, working in a team and being flexible, I once again learned that everybody is different, and everybody deserves an individual approach to suit their personality and needs.

You never stop learning. You will meet new challenges that you have to tackle and even though it might seem like it is impossible, you’ll get there. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

And: don’t be afraid to try new things – a new field of work, a new team or new approaches.

Mia and Cecilie were super nice and really looked after us. They listened to our preferences and placed us in a workplace that meet our personal and professional objectives. If we ever had a problem of any kind, and it didn’t matter what kind of problem it was – personal, at work, in the house or whatever – they were always happy to help. So don’t be shy and ask them every question you have! Mia even knows how to open up a bottle of beer without a bottle opener – I have video proof! ?

I worked and lived with many other interns from all over the world – United States of America, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Denmark. I absolutely loved it! I always had someone around to go travel with, talk about work and life in general and it was definitely never boring! I might even say that I found a small family in my housemates. We are still in contact and keep each other up to date with our lives! ?

Apart from working, we also had enough time to explore New Zealand; road trip up North, a pub crawl in Auckland, relaxing and surfing at the beach or a weekend in another city. We met heaps of amazing people, enjoyed the nicest views (New Zealand is even more beautiful than you think) and with some luck you might even spot one of the famous kiwi birds.