At JVS Ali was able to improve her organizational and time management skills while working on client intakes, project management, and software support.
great co-op experience because I know that others
do not always have an experience like this. My team made me feel very welcome when I joined, especially being the first co-op at JVS.”
– Ali Beaulieu, Human Services
Co-op Term: Spring 2023
Position: Client Services Intake Specialist
Employer: Jewish Vocational Services Boston, MA
Ali worked as Senior Manager of Client Services where she mainly met with clients on a daily basis. Ali had around 6-10 “Welcome Meetings” which were about 30 minutes long. The people she worked with were mainly from immigrant and refugee communities. Ali was also tasked with using software that was previously unknown to her. At her co-op, Salesforce was used as a client relationship management software and Calendly was used as the primary client scheduling software. Previously, she thought that she was primarily a visual learner, but the knowledge she gained through working on the new software and on intakes allowed her to discover her ability as a kinesthetic learner. “As I got comfortable with doing things on my own, I also worked on some organization skills in order to be the most productive.” By improving her organizational skills she was able to settle into JVS comfortably with a set routine. Eventually she was able to take on multiple projects at once. Ali says that her all her supervisors asked for her feedback and provided her with the support that she needed, and all in all, the the team worked well together.
Ali’s co-op made her realize that there is privilege and hierarchy associated with the job market. She felt very lucky to learn about the experiences of clients through intakes. Ali felt it was powerful that so many people dedicate their time and effort to help others find employment, who may not be as fortunate or have the same opportunities. The job market is extremely competitive in Boston for immigrants and refugees. While they may have experience in their home country, there are other factors that prevent them from working or being offered a job. Many clients have a multifaceted set of barriers preventing them from attaining adequate work including language barriers, childcare, housing, and transportation. While minimal in terms of alleviating the larger issue of job-market inequalities, Ali feels her position at JVS made a positive impact on clients.
JVS was an enriching experience for her and she continued working there part-time through the end of August. Ali hopes to find herself back there again someday.
