Page 109

WORK EXPERIENCE COMPONENT: INTERNSHIP Description of the component. Provide a summary of the activities and services. An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to an individual’s field of study or career interest. An internship gives the participant the opportunity for career exploration and development, and to learn new skills. Internships: · Consider program length, anticipated enrollment, and the ability of CalFresh E&T participants to move from subsidized employment to unsubsidized, regular employment; · Include clearly defined skill elements that are evidence-based and aligned with the E&T participant’s training plan; · Align with a curriculum (i.e., an instructor’s plan for providing training and skill development) and instruction; · Meet the skilled workforce needs of employers, in addition to helping E&T participants obtain the certificates and credentials employers use to make hiring decisions; and · Train for in-demand occupations that pay a living wage or at least be part of an articulated career pathway that leads to a living wage. Services provided to the participant vary, but below are some examples of what the participant can receive. Unsubsidized: - Los Angeles County's partner, Covenant House California (CHC), is highlighted by a Digital Dove Studios program, offered on-site at CHC’s L.A. Site. This program offers participants a guided journey into content creation, using video storytelling as a platform to develop job skills in writing, planning, collaboration, and technical media skills. Sessions cover essential steps in the content creation process and culminate in a bootcamp that includes skill reinforcement, peer feedback, and a screening event showcasing each participant’s final project. This program is structured into eight sessions, two hours each session, spanning over one month. The program would host three different iterations of the training, each iteration focusing on a different format of video storytelling: documentary, creative video, commercial, and scripted narratives. Each participant would attend a total of 26 hours of official instruction with a range of post-instruction work to complete their assignments and projects. These hours can range from 10 to 25 hours (depending on the participant’s workflow/pace). The program ends with a boot-camp where participants review, practice core skills, then finalize projects. Digital Dove Studios culminates with a showcase and screening of their final work, practicing public presentation and receiving feedback from instructors, attendees, and other peers. This program equips participants with job-ready skills that are directly transferable to today’s job market, particularly in fields such as digital marketing, content creation, social media management, communications, and multimedia production. Participants will be developing market-driven skill development such as digital literacy, tech proficiency, collaboration, communication, and project planning which they will be able to use to bolster their skills and experiences on their resumes. Completing the program successfully would also serve as a qualifier that will grant participants access to a referral for one of our partner’s programs such as Break Reinvent Impact Change who assists with placements with potential media employers. Participants are guided in adding the program and transferable skills into their resume while also working alongside with the Employment Specialist/Career Coach to apply for the next employment opportunity and/or certified training program. After completion, highly interested participants may also progress to the subsidized digital dove work experience component. 1/28/26, 11:04 AM State Plan CA FY26 - Original Submission https://dam-fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/microsite/snapet-cafy26stateplan//index.html 109/286