Bagels and Goodbyes: Love146 Team Shares Advice with Graduating Social Work Intern

Roberta wasn’t speaking to a youth in our Survivor Care Program this time. The advice was for K*, Love146’s social work intern who was preparing to graduate from her master’s program and begin her next chapter. 

The room was open and bright. Natural light poured in through large windows and fell across the wood floor. Around the big table sat about 20 members of the Survivor Care team. Fierce advocates for children and youth impacted by trafficking. The time was punctuated with laughter. A sliding scale of whose advice was the deepest. There were congratulations, thank yous, nods of agreement, and the easy warmth of a team that has worked through difficult things together. 

They were hitting a collective pause on their other work to send someone forward. At Love146, recognizing the humanity in every person is…well… kind of the entire point. If everyone would respect the dignity of others, children would no longer be exploited. This ethos shapes the way we walk with the young people in our care. It shapes how we engage supporters. It shapes the way we invest in the people learning beside us. 

Advice for New Social Workers Entering the Field

Leaning forward in her chair, thoughtfully, Tamarra, Love146’s Director of US Survivor Care, shared next:

“There’s no destination.” she said. “You’re going to be continuing to learn throughout your life, each position you go into, no matter how old you get, you will never know all the things. So give yourself grace.”

One team member said “Trust your gut, continue to advocate for your clients in the future. Your voice matters and your judgement matters.” 

Why Self-Care Is Important in Social Work

“I don’t think I realized how easy it is to get dehydrated on this job,” one colleague said. “The whole day goes by and you’re like, wow, I am so thirsty. The same goes with eating, so make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”  

“That’s such good advice!” a few people chimed, and suddenly the scattered water bottles seemed more like monuments to survival. 

Another team member put the connection plainly. “How are we gonna help someone else if we’re not taking care of our own selves?” 

When it was time for K to respond, she shared this:

“You actually saw me as a social worker along with you instead of just like… an intern.”

“Never accept anything less,” one social worker said.  

What the team was really giving her wasn’t a list of perfect answers. They gave her the kind of wisdom earned through long days, heavy conversations, unexpected wins, and the work of learning how to stay yourself in a field that asks a lot. 

It’s a lesson anyone can take away. Keep learning. Trust your gut. Advocate for yourself and your people. Drink water. Do not accept a workplace that forgets you are human. And when you sit at a table over an everything bagel with someone preparing for what comes next, stop long enough to send them forward with love.  

*Initial used for privacy and protection.