Interns are an essential part of Canopy— let us introduce you to one!

MAY 26 2020

By Lauren Husband, Communications Team

At any given time, we can have up to 10 interns working diligently behind the scenes at Canopy NWA.

Our interns perform a lot of the day-to-day grind that keeps Canopy running, like transporting clients to medical appointments, facilitating Job Club, and caring for children while parents work hard to become acclimated to their new home. Our interns help keep Canopy’s whole refugee resettlement ship afloat!

So, as a thank you to our interns, many of whom we unfortunately have not seen in person since March due to the pandemic; and to celebrate the several who completed their undergraduate and graduate degrees this month, we thought we’d interview our Spring 2020 Refugee Health Promotion intern, Abby Metz, to highlight the hard work they perform backstage! Abby worked alongside Canopy’s Director of Social Integration and Health this past spring.

Abby graduated with her degree in Public Health from the University of Arkansas this month, and we couldn’t be more grateful for her service to our clients and proud of her dedication to completing her degree. Along with her Public Health degree, Abby completed a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences, and she is starting Nursing school at Saint Louis University at the end of this month.

Meet Abby:

Abby is from St. Louis, Missouri. She danced on the Razorback Pom Squad for four years at the University of Arkansa. She loves Northwest Arkansas, especially all of the local coffee shops, hiking spots, and going to Razorback games.

What motivated you to pursue an internship at Canopy NWA?

What was an average day like working as the Refugee health promotion intern?

Every single day at Canopy was unique, which is part of the reason I loved it so much! All of my daily activities were focused around assisting clients in navigating our health care system and giving them tools to pursue wellness. My goal was to help clients eventually be independent and feel confident in any health or wellness setting they may find themselves—whether it be knowing how to pick up their prescriptions, schedule a follow-up appointment, or knowing where to find resources when they need help.

I will never forget the time I was taking a client to an appointment, and they told me how frustrating it can be when they want to be self sufficient, but they do not have strong English skills yet and have a hard time communicating and navigating Northwest Arkansas. This was really when I feel like I fully understood the importance of Canopy’s role in the lives of our clients.

What are some notable things you learned during your internship?

During my internship, I learned about resources like WIC, SNAP, and local food and clothing aid. More importantly, I was able to learn about a population that I previously had known absolutely nothing about. I loved learning the process of obtaining refugee status, familiarize myself with the refugee crisis, and learning new ways to help.

One lesson that I will always carry with me is how to communicate despite a language barrier. It can be frustrating at first, but learning to utilize nonverbal communication, useful phone apps, and direct communication are lessons I will carry with me in the future!

Now that you’re familiar with the subject, why do you think it’s important to support refugee resettlement?

The refugee crisis can feel like something that is so far away, when in reality, we have a growing population of refugees in our own NWA community. Supporting refugees throughout their resettlement is important because the process for them to get here can take many years, and it is likely that they have family they left behind in their home country. Refugees are truly the most resilient people I have ever met. They overcome so much before they get to Northwest Arkansas, it is essential that we as a community provide them with the tools, resources, and support they need to build a new life. 

Would you encourage others to intern with Canopy? If so, why?

I highly recommend interning with Canopy! I have always been a firm believer that the best way to learn is to surround yourself with people who are different from you. Canopy teaches you how to work with people from all over the world, with all different backgrounds, who speak many different languages. This improves your intercultural competence and provides you with the opportunity to expand your worldview. The staff is supportive, kind, and passionate, and each staff member is genuinely and deeply invested in the clients, and they are so eager to share their passion with interns!

The lessons Canopy and clients taught me would be beneficial for anyone, regardless of the field they are going into! In my future career as a nurse, I am confident that I will be able to work with diverse populations while being culturally sensitive and communicate effectively both verbally and nonverbally. Working with Canopy staff everyday reminds me to always go above and beyond and help people whenever you can!

The staff goes far beyond what is “required” of them, and they are dedicated to making the community a better place. I am so thankful for the time I spent at Canopy and the lessons that the staff and clients taught me!