2026-2027 Internships with the

Center for Disaster Healing Resources

 

The Center for Disaster Healing Resources (CDHR) is an all volunteer international humanitarian relief organization dedicated to providing coping resources to children and families affected by disaster-related stress. Our members come from 10 different countries.

 

The CDHR is a special interest group of the Oxford Symposium in School-Based Family Counseling, an international association of scholars and practitioners dedicated to the promotion of School-Based Family Counseling. The Oxford Symposium in SBFC is sponsored by the Institute for School-Based Family Counseling.

 

University students in public health, social work, and other programs with an interest in public health literacy are invited to apply for a 2026-27 Internship.

 

We offer 3 levels of virtual internship experience:

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Level 1: Full Internship - For students taking an internship course (10-12 hours/week)          

Level 2: Practicum - Similar to Level 1 but for reduced hours (5-8 hours/week)

Level 3: Course Assignment -  For students interested in an applied project done as  part of a course assignment (3-5 hours/week)

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CDHR interns participate in monthly Saturday 1 hour zoom meetings with members from around the world.

 

Interns will have the opportunity to work on projects such as:

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• Helping to strengthen our public health messaging so that we can more effectively provide assistance to children and families affected by disaster.

 

• Participating in Specific CDHR Teams: 

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-Project Friendship Ambassador Team

-Research Team

-Arts & Recovery Team

-Social Media Team

-Global Rapid Response Team

 

• Engaging in ongoing research teams investigating:

-Best practices for dealing with disaster-related stress

-Effectiveness of CDHR stress-reduction materials for children, families, and schools

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• Participating in the Disastershock Rapid Response Team, which includes:

-Mobilizing quickly following any global disaster in order to disseminate stress-reduction manuals such as, "Disastershock: How to Cope with the Emotional Stress of a Major Disaster" (available in 31 languages).

 

• Helping us develop additional resources for children and families affected by disaster-related stress, e.g. development of Disaster coping resources for Indigenous peoples.

 

• Helping develop and coordinate Project Friendship Ukraine, a DGRT partnership with Rotary International which will pair Ukrainian, US, and Canadian Interact clubs (Rotary high school clubs) and Rotaract clubs (Rotary university clubs) with the goal of providing friendship support to Ukrainian university and high school students.

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• While a CDHR internship does not provide direct counseling with clients, interns interested in learning how to provide psychoeducational workshops on disaster coping skills, may have an opportunity to develop and deliver a workshop.

 

 

 

If you are interested in learning more about the CDHR, have a look at our website and attend one of our general meetings to get to know us better. To do this, please email Dr. Brian Gerrard, Co-Facilitator, CDHR at: gerrardb@usfca.edu

 

 

To apply for a 2026-2027 CDHR internship, send an email to Dr. Gerrard with a copy of your resume, two references, and a statement of interest.