Paid Internships
Paid internships for adults with disabilities: building real job skills
Updated · Reviewed by the BFF team
A paid internship is real work, for real pay, with support while you learn. For adults with developmental disabilities, it's a way to build job readiness skills, try different kinds of work, and gain experience for a résumé. BFF's Paid Internship Program in Orange County offers paid work at integrated community workplaces with hands-on coaching.
What is a paid internship?
A paid internship is a job with learning built in. The intern does real tasks for an employer and gets paid, while someone helps them learn the work. Unlike volunteering, the work is paid. Unlike a regular job, the focus is on learning: trying the work, building skills, and finding out what kind of job is a good fit.
Job readiness skills an internship builds
Job readiness skills are the everyday habits that help someone get and keep a job. They're easiest to learn on a real job:
- Arriving on time and following a work schedule.
- Learning the steps of a task and doing them the same way each time.
- Talking with a supervisor and coworkers, and asking for help when needed.
- Following workplace rules and staying safe on the job.
- Building confidence by finishing work you can be proud of.
What hands-on coaching looks like
A job coach works alongside the intern at the workplace. Coaching usually means showing how a task is done, practicing it together, and helping with routines like breaks and check-ins. As the intern gains confidence, the coach steps back. The goal is independence on the job.
Where BFF Friends have worked
Through the Paid Internship Program, Friends have worked in retail, restaurants, animal care, and fitness. Internships take place at integrated community workplaces with local employer partners, so Friends work alongside coworkers with and without disabilities.
How to get started
Book a one-hour visit and tell us about the work you're interested in. We'll talk about the Paid Internship Program and the other ways BFF can help.
Frequently asked questions
Are BFF internships paid?
Yes. The Paid Internship Program offers paid work at integrated community workplaces, with hands-on coaching.
What kinds of jobs have BFF interns done?
Friends have worked in retail, restaurants, animal care, and fitness.
What's the difference between an internship and volunteering?
An internship is paid work with coaching. Volunteering is unpaid help in the community. Both build skills, and BFF's Community Day Program includes volunteer work too.
Who can join the Paid Internship Program?
Adults with developmental disabilities in Orange County who want real work experience. Ask us about eligibility on your visit.
Come meet the BFF team.
Bring your questions and learn more about our programs.