Get to know our Pause Guides!

Community partnerships are essential for Pause to support as many families, children, and volunteers as we do. Partners help out in a variety of ways including donating food or supplies for events, providing services at discounted rates, or even offering their services or trainings exclusively for Pause families. One community partner has been with Pause since the very beginning and is an important piece of the Pause puzzle - Miami University’s Department of Family Science and Social Work.

Each year, the department provides senior Social Work students with opportunities to gain internship experience with local organizations and each year four or five students choose Pause as their internship. We call our interns “Pause Guides” because their main role is to be a resource for Pause families and to guide families through the program to help meet their needs. Let’s get to know your 2021-22 Pause guides a little bit better!

What inspired you to become a social worker?
“I really wanted to focus on directly working with people in my community in need of aid. Being in foster care and having personal experience with the system also factored in my decision to switch to social work.” - Jasmyne L.

“It was at my first job at Butler County Children Services that I recognized my love for social service. Families allowed me to be a part of their most vulnerable situations. As difficult as it could be, many families built resilience, support systems and overcame many obstacles. Seeing happy and healthy families became my passion and a part of my everyday commitment.” - Sarah B.

“When thinking about what inspired me to be a social worker, one person really comes to my mind. My middle school had a social worker named Nellie who helped me through a pretty rough patch in my childhood. Even at the time, and as a kid, I knew how much she was changing and impacting my life. During some of our sessions I began to ask what it was like to be a social worker and found myself in some of her stories. It was kind of a natural progression after that, I knew I wanted to be who Nellie was for me, for someone else.” - Hannah S.

“In high school, I was constantly volunteering and loved it! When I got to Miami and began the enrollment process for classes a Professor pulled me aside and explained the Social Work Major. As soon as I heard more about it I knew it was the place for me.” - Rowan C.

What is the impact you feel you are making as a Pause Guide?
“I think that the impact I have is serving people in need and enjoying my role as a Pause Guide working with children, not just seeing it as a requirement. Being able to interact with kids is extremely rewarding and giving individuals and their families some time for self-care and adventure is huge.” - Jasmyne L.

“I desire to make every child, family, and volunteer feel welcomed, loved, and encouraged. The goal is to meet you where you are and be supportive of you and your family! Being able to provide connections, resources, and trauma-informed care to families is vital to me.” - Sarah B.

“I think that I am having an impact on the friends (Pause Kids) that make at each of our events. I see each friend for who they really are and I work hard to be a sunny spot in their lives, even if it's just for a few hours. The time I spend befriending and learning about them is so worth it when they do things like grabbing my hand and pulling me because the floor is lava and they want to save me.” - Hannah S.

“I love being a part of Pause and learning from all the amazing people associated with it. I get to see how the organization is run and the impact it has on families. It is great that I get to be a part of giving families respite and support. The kiddos seem to really enjoy events like Parents Night Out and it feels great to know my very small part helped to make it happen.” - Rowan C.

How has your field experience benefited your education?
“My field experience has benefitted my education in a lot of ways. While being in a classroom environment, taking tests and attending lectures are all important, the in-person experience has its own benefits like actually applying the lessons we learn in school to the ‘real world’ is very different and very necessary.” - Jasmyne L.

“As a Pause Guide, I have already been in leadership positions, trauma-informed care, project planning, and preparing for events. This field experience has provided me with skills such as advocacy, creativity, and teamwork, which will impact my growth during my MSW.” - Sarah B.

“During school I have learned theories and case studies. I have studied ethics and intervention strategies from text books and lectures. But during my time at Pause, I have been able to really round that out with learning from the families that I work with. They helped me learn in a practical and forgiving setting, and it has given my college experience so much more 'life'. Hearing about their wins, their struggles and being there as a resource for them has been invaluable in preparing me to graduate.” - Hannah S.

“My field experience has allowed me to interact with individuals and make connections to what I have learned in class. I have been able to hear others' personal stories and encounters and learn from them.” - Rowan C.

How do you plan to take what you're learning in your internship and apply it to your future career?
“The population I want to work with is adolescents, so getting that hands-on experience with children who come from different backgrounds and have different needs has been enlightening and has given me a glimpse of what my work might look like in my future career. I plan on taking what I have learned on how to interact with kids, communicate in ways that are not always verbal and focus on keeping myself and others safe in different environments and situations while trying to increase quality of life.” - Jasmyne L.

“My long-term goal is to become a principal at a school that focuses on behaviors and mental illness. Working on curriculum, classrooms, and families has provided me with the experience I will need in that role.” - Sarah B.

“When my internship with Pause is over in December I will be taking a lot with me as I go. I plan to go to graduate school and study to be a school psychologist - a profession that most of our families might be familiar with. I have been listening and I have heard where our families are struggling and need support. I am taking that knowledge with me so that I can be a better advocate. I am taking the life experiences from these families with me into the field so I can help make it better. I am bringing the teamwork that I have learned from working with the awesome people at Pause with me so that I can foster an environment where parents and professionals are on the same side working toward the same goals. I am taking the connections that I have made with me so that I am a better resource. But most importantly, I think, I am taking my memories of my time at Pause as the best kind of motivation.” - Hannah S.
“Everything I learn through my internship at Pause will be carried with me in my future career. With each new experience at Pause, I learn about how to handle certain situations, the correct way to build rapport, and so much more. I am glad I get these opportunities from Pause.” - Rowan C.

We are blessed to have our student staff team and are thankful for the perspective they bring, the passion in which they bring it and the gifts they will continue to give families over the next year. #BestOfTheBest

This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.