This semester we are happy to welcome our new intern Kaly. Here's Kaly in her own words:

Hi! My name is Kaly Allison and I am currently in my last year of graduate school as a Social Work major at Florida State University. After receiving my undergraduate degree in social work I decided to further my education to ultimately become a LCSW. My main motivation for my interest in the criminal justice system was simple: it scared me. Growing up and having many friends and family members going in and out of the system, as well as losing loved ones to violent crimes, influenced my decision to become a Social Worker and address the one area of social work I was unsure of. For me, it felt too personal and a fear of mine was that it would affect my ability to be a competent social worker.

So for my undergraduate degree I interned at the state attorney’s office as a victim advocate which led me to accept a job working at the injunction office at the local courthouse in Tallahassee, FL. Within this time I developed an interest in working with individuals coming out of prison and/or jail. I was familiar with the part of the system that sent individuals to prison, and wanted to be a part of the re-entry process for those coming out.

This has led me to interning at Joseph House for my final placement.

These first four weeks of being at Joseph House have taught me so much and have furthered my passion for the field!