RISE Housing and Support Services offers an internship program for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in social work, social science, human services, or psychology. The internship program offers students clinical and administrative rotations for a macro and micro view of the philosophies of harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and person-centered planning.
Shaun Richards, who will graduate from Skidmore College in May of 2024 with a bachelor’s in psychology, did his internship at RISE Advocacy and Outreach program this past fall. Shaun shares about his intern experience and his motivations to work with people experiencing homelessness, and why he chose to join the Advocacy and Outreach team:
I knew from an early age that I wanted to do something to help people experiencing homelessness. I believe in the idea that the measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members, and if you are lucky to have done well in your life, you should do well for others. I believe a certain chain reaction of bad circumstances can cause anyone to become homeless at any given time – so much of our life circumstances depend on luck and chance. So, when I began to discuss field work opportunities related to homelessness with Peter McCarthy, a professor of social work at Skidmore, I took his advice and chose to do my internship at RISE.
“Working at the Adelphi Street Shelter as part of my internship was eye opening the work there is visceral and real.”
Working at the Adelphi Street Shelter as part of my internship was eye opening; the work there is visceral and real. I had no idea what to expect, but I was impressed with the low barrier aspect of the shelter, which allows people to “just be” in a safe space as long as necessary, without any treatment prerequisites for entry. I shadowed the shelter advocates who assist the shelter guests seeking to access the help they need to improve their life circumstances and obtain more permanent housing opportunities. I assisted with day-to-day tasks necessary to maintain the shelter such as organizing donations, cleaning, and serving food.
I enjoyed engaging with the shelter guests during my time there. It provided me with the opportunity to learn about their interests, be kind and helpful, and approach their circumstances with empathy and nonjudgmental understanding. Some of these conversations reinforced my belief that homelessness can affect anyone, regardless of their background. For instance, one gentleman, with whom I had a meaningful conversation about cosmology, was a former professor of mathematics and physics. Another individual used to work for the Department of Water and Power but experienced job loss and eventual homelessness due to an injury.
“I had the privilege of learning directly from Victoria Furfaro.”
Throughout my internship at RISE, I had the privilege of learning directly from Victoria Furfaro, Advocacy and Outreach Director. From our initial meeting, I recognized that Victoria is a remarkable individual – exceptionally hardworking, brimming with energy, and capable of achieving big goals. I was thankful for the chance to ask her numerous questions, collaborate with her to the best of my ability, and contribute to her work in any way I could. I was able to assist her in expanding and reorganizing the filing system for past shelter guests, proofread court correspondences, and other general tasks such as court mailings.
I was also fortunate to get to know Brian Dougherty, Outreach and Engagement Services Program Supervisor. He and I engaged in numerous conversations about the homeless crisis in America and the systemic bureaucratic barriers that occasionally complicate support for those in need. Brian provided insightful answers to my many questions, which created a valuable learning experience.
Additionally, I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with Lindsey Connors, the Associate Executive Director. She generously made time in her busy schedule to answer my questions about her background and the path that led her to this impactful work. Lindsey provided insights into the history of RISE and its current exponential growth. Our discussion covered the broader context of the homeless population in Saratoga Springs and the agency’s goals to identify and address service gaps in the community.
“I don’t fit the mold of your traditional Skidmore College student.”
I don’t fit the mold of your traditional Skidmore College student. I have a background of over 10 years of experience in finance and accounting, a profession I fell into in order to support myself while I pursued my love of music as a musician.
While working in accounting, I sought out positions within the healthcare sector to offset the mundane nature of my work in finance by working for organizations that made a genuine impact in people’s lives. One aspect of my job in accounting that I greatly enjoyed was training and answering questions for new employees, making me realize that I found meaning and happiness in helping others who genuinely needed and wanted to be helped. As I moved on from playing live music, I reached a turning point in my life and career. I always had a strong interest in philosophy and astrophysics, which I pursued before finally deciding to study psychology.
Around 2019, I became enamored with Terror Management Theory (TMT). A psychological theory that delves into how humanity grapples with the existential anxiety rooted in the awareness of mortality. Originating from the ideas of Pulitzer Prize-winning cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, as presented in his 1974 book, The Denial of Death, Dr. Sheldon Solomon, a professor at Skidmore College, embarked on a mission to substantiate Becker’s ideas with empirical evidence. During which Dr. Solomon wrote his own book on TMT, The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life. After reading it, I reached out to him via email to see if he was still a working professor at Skidmore College.
Long story short, through a series of emails and Skype conversations, Dr. Solomon graciously offered to be my academic advisor and mentor should I decide to pursue studies at Skidmore, and the rest is history. I recently concluded an experiment centered on TMT and Awe at Skidmore, involving 120 live participants. I co-designed the study with Dr. Solomon and Dr. Devin Guthrie of Texas A&M University (who ran an additional 284 participants online in Texas), and we are currently in the process of analyzing the collected data. Once I complete my bachelor’s degree at Skidmore, I plan to pursue a Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) degree for my graduate studies.
“The atmosphere at RISE is very caring and understanding, it was clear to me how much they value their staff.”
I greatly enjoyed my internship at RISE. The atmosphere at RISE is very caring and understanding, it was clear to me how much they value their staff. At RISE I felt like I was in a place where my wellbeing was valued. The caliber of the people who work there further contributed to the positive atmosphere. I want to thank everyone I worked with at RISE for such a great learning opportunity, and for this opportunity to share my intern experience at RISE.