Intern Spotlight: Rayne Nappier
Rayne is a MSW student at VCU's School of Social Work and this year's Coalition Support Intern at Homeward. We asked for her perspective on the connections between social work and homeless services now that she's been with us for a few months.
Q: How has your experience at Homeward shaped your understanding of the connection between social work and housing stability?
A: Before interning at Homeward, my understanding of social work was mostly centered around micro practice and direct client interaction. This experience has shown me how social work also operates on a broader, community-wide level. I’ve learned how agencies collaborate, how partnerships are built, and how systems work together to support people experiencing homelessness.
My understanding of social work has expanded beyond working one-on-one with clients to seeing how practitioners support each other and how macro-level work can create lasting community impact.
Q: What are some lessons you’ve learned as a student social worker about supporting individuals experiencing housing insecurity?
A: One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to approach every experience with an open mind and avoid assuming that one person’s situation will look like another’s. It’s helped me move away from black-and-white thinking and better understand the complexity of people’s experiences.
This internship has also helped me grow personally and professionally. I’ve become more confident and willing to step outside of my comfort zone. For example, I asked my supervisor, Vicki, if I could help facilitate a training. That’s something I probably would have been too reserved to do a year ago! She’s been very supportive and easy to talk to, and this experience has helped connect many of the concepts I’ve been learning in school to real-world practice. There have been a lot of “lightbulb moments” for me this semester.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: I have about a year and a half left in school, and I’m excited to continue exploring different areas of social work. One thing I appreciate about homeless services is that you work with many different populations and gain exposure to a wide range of experiences and needs.
I’m especially interested in mental health and maternal health, and I’ve also become more interested in understanding how homelessness impacts children and families. Learning more about housing instability has reinforced how important stability and support are for children’s wellbeing.
Next year, I’ll begin my specialization internship, where I’ll have the opportunity to further develop and strengthen my clinical and professional skills.
