Has Anyone Hired An Intern Or Had A Student Volunteer?

[preschoolteacher]

I have a small home daycare with 5 kids. Four of the kids are 2-ish (24 month old twins, 23 month old, 22 month old) and an 8 month old. I plan to get pregnant again this summer and suspect the mom of the 23 month old may be again, too. So while I could technically have 2 infants and 5 preschoolers by myself, I know I'd need help.

Has anyone tried an internship or a student volunteer? I would be able to pay, so I don't need free labor. What I really want is a serious, professional individual who really wants to work with kids. Someone preferably in school for it or with the desire to do so. I'd like this person to take over most of the preschool work so I can care for the babies... Maybe I could even advertise it as a preschool teacher job? Or is that stretching the truth too far?

[Second Home]

My mother did when she had her daycare . She contacted the local community college teachers program . She only had the students for the summer or a few months at a time though because of the college schedules .

[Starburst]

If you can qualify to be a mentor (varies state to state), they may be able to get school credit for it (though some schools only allow that during the fall and spring semesters)- it may also depend on your program and if they are allowed to create their own curriculum. You can also see if there are high school students who need community service hours and see if you can talk to the person who is in charge of that so that they can send volunteers your way.

[Kabob]

One of the local colleges here has an Early Childhood Development program so I began my search there and found my assistant there. She didn't expect to get paid (but I do pay her) because she needs the job as part of her college work and she will get a great reference letter from me should all continue to go well...she also gets the experience of setting up activities for the children and addressing behavior in a group setting. I get help while I'm pregnant. Win-win.

[craftymissbeth]

Kabob, the local college is a great idea! Ours has an Early Childhood program, too, so I looked online to see what their training requirements are before they can enroll in the program... CPR/First Aid, negative Tb test, physical, PLUS child abuse & neglect, and safe sleep practices.

Almost everything that I needed to become licensed! The only thing I'd need them to complete is a couple of other online trainings and that wouldn't cost too much time or money for me to pay for.

I'm definitely going to try there in the fall... hopefully I'll have enough income coming in to be able to.

[Blackcat31]

I have a small home daycare with 5 kids. Four of the kids are 2-ish (24 month old twins, 23 month old, 22 month old) and an 8 month old. I plan to get pregnant again this summer and suspect the mom of the 23 month old may be again, too. So while I could technically have 2 infants and 5 preschoolers by myself, I know I'd need help.

Has anyone tried an internship or a student volunteer? I would be able to pay, so I don't need free labor. What I really want is a serious, professional individual who really wants to work with kids. Someone preferably in school for it or with the desire to do so. I'd like this person to take over most of the preschool work so I can care for the babies... Maybe I could even advertise it as a preschool teacher job? Or is that stretching the truth too far?

Our local high school had a class in Family Living for years. The students were all assigned to a local daycare and came two mornings a week and acted as an assistant.

I loved the program and was sad they discontinued it but it was great while it lasted.

I'm sure that isn't what you were looking for but maybe your local community college has something similar you can take advantage of.

We do have a mentoring program in our state. If you are interested in that, let me know and I will send you the info on how to do that.