#communityinternship

A Journey of Learning and Social Awareness

When I started my community internship with TRY NGO (www.tryngo.in), I saw it as an opportunity to gain experience and complete an important requirement of my internship program. However, as I progressed through this NGO internship, I realized that it was much more than just a professional task — it was a journey that helped me understand the realities of society and the importance of social work.

TRY NGO is a non-profit organization that works at the grassroots level for social development. Through this social work internship, I was able to observe how organizations dedicate their time and efforts to support communities and bring positive change.

What a Community Internship Taught Me

A community internship allows students to step outside the classroom and learn directly from real-life experiences. Instead of only studying theories, interns get the opportunity to see how social work is actually implemented.

During my internship with TRY NGO, I participated in activities that helped me understand how NGOs engage with communities and raise awareness about important issues.

This NGO internship gave me exposure to the working style of non-profit organizations and helped me understand how social development initiatives are planned and implemented.

My Role During the Internship

Throughout this social work internship, I had the opportunity to observe and contribute to different initiatives that supported community engagement and awareness.

Some of the activities included:

Supporting community awareness efforts

Observing social development programs

Learning about grassroots-level initiatives

Assisting in outreach and engagement activities

These tasks helped me understand how teamwork and dedication are essential for achieving the goals of a social organization like TRY NGO.

Lessons Learned from the NGO Internship

One of the most important lessons I learned during this community internship was the importance of understanding social issues from the ground level.

I realized that many communities face challenges related to education, awareness, and access to resources. NGOs like TRY NGO work continuously to address these problems through structured programs and community involvement.

Another key learning was the importance of communication and empathy. Social work requires patience, understanding, and the ability to connect with people from different backgrounds.

How This Experience Changed My Perspective

Before starting this internship, I viewed social work mainly as voluntary service. But through this experience with TRY NGO, I realized that social development requires careful planning, teamwork, and long-term commitment.

This NGO internship helped me become more aware of the responsibilities we all share as members of society. It also inspired me to stay involved in community activities in the future.

Conclusion

My community internship with TRY NGO (www.tryngo.in) has been an enriching and eye-opening experience. It not only helped me learn about social work but also helped me grow personally and professionally.

This social work internship gave me valuable insights into community development and the efforts required to create meaningful social impact.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of an organization that works towards improving society and supporting communities.

Introduction

When I started my community internship with TRY NGO, I honestly thought social work just meant helping people in obvious ways like teaching, donating, or volunteering. That was my simple understanding of it. But after actually going on these visits, I realized it’s not that straightforward. A lot is happening quietly behind the scenes- responsibility, patience, and systems that keep running without much recognition.

My Role During the Community Internship

One of the experiences that really changed my thinking was visiting a cow shelter, Govansh Ashray Sthal, near Chilla Border in Noida. Feeding fodder to the cows might sound very basic, and I thought the same at first. But when you actually stand there and do it, you understand the daily effort it takes to manage a place like that. It’s not a one-time activity. It’s routine, and that routine is what keeps everything functioning.

What stayed with me even more was seeing the biogas plant functioning there. The waste generated at the shelter was being converted into biogas that helped the families managing the shelter with cooking. Seeing that biogas plant actually working was honestly surprising for me because I had only read about such models in books before. I realized that social work is not only about direct human interaction, but it can also be about building systems that support communities in practical ways.

As our internship continued, we started spending time with children from underprivileged backgrounds. In the beginning, our focus was not just on academics but on making them feel comfortable, as that felt like the most important task initially. At first, the children were quiet, and honestly, I didn’t blame them. A group of college students suddenly sitting in front of you would naturally feel strange.

So we didn’t open our notebooks immediately. We just started talking, played a few small games, and asked random questions. Slowly, the awkwardness reduced. We worked on basic things like forming small words, practising simple math, and identifying body parts. Nothing advanced. But the way they reacted when they got something right, that excitement made the session feel bigger than it actually was.

Later, when we interacted with students from classes 6 to 8 at Adarsh Primary School, the setting changed, but the learning gaps remained. Our role there was to solve doubts in different subjects. Students approached us with questions in Mathematics, English, and other areas where they felt stuck. Often, they did not need long explanations - they just needed someone to break down the concept patiently.

Key Learnings from the Internship

Through these experiences, I understood that learning does not always require big infrastructure. Sometimes it just needs attention, encouragement, and a safe environment where children feel comfortable.

What stood out to me was how personal attention changes confidence. When students felt heard and not judged for their doubts, they were more willing to ask questions. A small clarification could visibly boost their self-belief.

I slowly understood that social work is not about doing something big in one dramatic moment. It’s not about one powerful act. It’s about showing up again and again. Small efforts and simple actions, done consistently.

Whether it was feeding animals, observing the biogas system, sitting with children until they opened up, or explaining the same math problem again, all of it felt connected. Different tasks, same intention: responsibility.

Impact on My Perspective

This internship also made me think about my own privilege. Access to education, proper guidance, and basic resources is something I have always had. I never really stopped to question it. But when you sit closely with different communities, you start noticing the gaps. Not in a dramatic way, but quietly. It makes you more aware.

As a management student, I usually study leadership in terms of strategy, planning, execution. Big words. Big frameworks. But here, leadership looked different. It looked simple. It meant being present. Listening properly. Helping without expecting appreciation.

And honestly, that version of leadership felt more real.

Conclusion

This internship did not give me a dramatic moment or a headline-worthy achievement. What it gave me was clarity. Clarity about how real change works. It is rarely loud or instant. It builds slowly - through consistency, patience, and effort that often goes unnoticed.

Somewhere during this journey, my understanding shifted. I stopped looking at social work as a task to complete and started seeing it as a mindset to carry. It made me more aware of the gaps that exist, but also more hopeful about the impact small efforts can create.

More than anything, it changed how I define responsibility. Not as something imposed from outside, but as something that grows within you once you truly observe and engage. And for me, that internal shift has been the most meaningful outcome of this experience.

Introduction

As part of my community internship with TRY NGO (www.tryngo.in), I got the opportunity to visit a slum area and interact closely with people living in marginalized communities. This NGO internship helped me move beyond books and online learning to experience real-life social challenges. The purpose of this visit was to understand ground realities, observe social issues at the grassroots level, and learn how NGOs work to bring change in society.

This social work internship experience allowed me to see how poverty, lack of education, and poor living conditions affect daily life. The visit was an eye-opening experience that changed my perspective about development and social responsibility.

About TRY NGO and My Role

TRY NGO (www.tryngo.in) is a non-profit organization working at the grassroots level for social development. The organization focuses on community welfare, awareness programs, and supporting underprivileged sections of society. During my community internship, I worked with volunteers to understand their approach toward community service.

My role during the slum area visit included observing living conditions, interacting with residents, and supporting awareness efforts related to cleanliness, education, and health. Even small interactions helped me realize the importance of empathy and communication in social work.

Field Experience: Observations from the Slum Area Visit

The slum area consisted of closely packed houses with limited space and basic facilities. Many families lived in one-room shelters with inadequate ventilation and sanitation. Clean drinking water and proper waste disposal were major challenges. Children were playing in narrow lanes, and some of them were not enrolled in regular schooling.

During conversations with residents, we learned that many adults worked as daily wage laborers with unstable income. Healthcare access was limited, and people often ignored minor illnesses due to financial constraints. The lack of awareness about hygiene and government welfare schemes was also visible.

The TRY NGO team interacted respectfully with community members and listened to their concerns. Volunteers explained the importance of education for children, basic hygiene practices, and community cleanliness. This experience showed how social work internships help bridge the gap between communities and support systems.

Key Social Issues Observed

During the visit, I observed several social issues that require long-term attention:

Poverty and unemployment: Irregular income affected nutrition, education, and healthcare access.

Education gaps: Many children lacked regular schooling due to financial and social constraints.

Health and sanitation issues: Poor sanitation and lack of clean water increased health risks.

Lack of awareness: Limited knowledge about government schemes and basic health practices.

These issues highlighted the importance of continuous community engagement by NGOs and volunteers.

Learnings from the Community Internship

This NGO internship taught me that social work is not just about charity; it is about understanding people’s lives and working patiently for change. I learned that:

Real change starts with listening to communities and respecting their experiences.

Small awareness efforts can create long-term positive impact.

Teamwork and consistency are essential in social work internships.

Field exposure builds empathy and practical understanding of social issues.

The visit helped me connect theory with practice and understand the challenges faced by NGOs at the grassroots level.

Impact of the Experience on My Perspective

Before this community internship, I viewed social issues from a distance. However, meeting people and seeing their daily struggles changed my outlook. I realized that development is not only about infrastructure but also about dignity, awareness, and access to basic services. This experience motivated me to contribute more actively to social causes and support NGOs like TRY NGO that work consistently for community development.

Conclusion

The slum area visit with TRY NGO was a meaningful part of my social work internship. It gave me practical exposure to real-life social challenges and helped me develop empathy and social responsibility. Such community internships play a vital role in shaping young people into responsible citizens who understand grassroots realities and are motivated to create positive change in society.