Embrace Autism – Autism Therapy Trainee / Intern (Social Skills)

Job Description

Most psychology internships teach you how to observe from the corner of a room.

This one expects you to participate.

At Embrace Autism, you will work directly alongside an experienced social-relational therapist and learn how to support autistic and neurodivergent individuals through play, conversation, movement, daily living activities, and real-world social experiences.

This is not an internship where you simply take notes and watch sessions.

You will be expected to build relationships, model communication, initiate activities, create learning opportunities, contribute ideas, and gradually take greater responsibility under supervision.

One day, you may be helping a child practise communicating during play. The next, you may be supporting an adult client to initiate conversations, prepare a meal, participate in a group activity, or navigate a community setting.

You may also help us communicate our work to parents and the public through social media and educational content.

If you are warm, observant, proactive, and willing to learn by doing, keep reading.

What You’ll Actually Be Doing:

• Observe and assist during individual and small-group social sessions
• Build rapport with autistic and neurodivergent children, teenagers, and adults
• Model functional language, conversation, emotional expression, and social interaction
• Help clients participate in play, games, movement, cooking, community activities, and daily living tasks
• Create simple and engaging activities based on each client’s interests and developmental goals
• Support clients in practising flexibility, initiation, turn-taking, problem-solving, and self-expression
• Assist with preparing session materials, visual supports, games, and activity plans
• Record useful observations and contribute ideas during session discussions
• Work with social media content creator for Instagram and Facebook
• Help turn session insights into educational posts, videos, and resources for parents and professionals
• Assist with workshops, programmes, events, or community-based activities when required
• Work closely with the Director on real client, programme, and business-development projects

This role involves both thoughtful observation and active participation. You will not always be given a script. You must learn to notice what a client needs, respond appropriately, and take initiative while remaining open to feedback.

Who We’re Looking For

You’ll fit in well if you:

• Are studying or have recently graduated in Psychology, Education, Early Childhood, Social Work, Special Education, Communications, or a related field
• Are genuinely interested in autism, communication, relationships, and human development
• Are warm, patient, emotionally steady, and comfortable interacting with people of different ages and abilities
• Can communicate clearly in English
• Are proactive and do not need to be reminded repeatedly
• Are observant and able to notice small changes in behaviour, communication, and engagement
• Can accept direct feedback without becoming defensive
• Are willing to participate in play, movement, games, cooking, and community activities
• Are comfortable travelling to different locations around Singapore
• Can behave professionally and maintain strict client confidentiality
• Are dependable, punctual, and responsible
• Have a “let me try” attitude rather than waiting for perfect instructions

Bonus Points If You:

• Have experience working with autistic or neurodivergent individuals
• Have facilitated camps, tuition, enrichment classes, youth programmes, or group activities
• Are confident initiating conversations and engaging people who may not respond immediately
• Can use Canva, CapCut, Instagram, Facebook, or other content-creation tools
• Understand how to create simple videos, captions, reels, or educational posts
• Are interested in developing a career in therapy, social facilitation, special education, or programme development
• Know how to use AI tools responsibly for research, planning, writing, or content creation
• Enjoy buil

What You’ll Gain

• Direct experience working with autistic and neurodivergent individuals across different ages and support needs
• Hands-on training in social facilitation, emotional regulation, communication, play, and relationship-building
• Exposure to real-life, community-based intervention rather than classroom theory alone
• Guidance and feedback from an experienced practitioner with more than 12 years of experience
• Opportunities to observe how sessions are adapted to each individual
• Experience creating activities and programmes with clear developmental goals
• A deeper understanding of how to work collaboratively with parents, caregivers, and professionals
• Practical experience in educational content creation and social media communication
• Greater confidence in facilitating interactions instead of simply observing them
• Potential opportunities for continued full-time or project-based work after the internship

This Role Is Not Suitable for Someone Who

• Only wants an internship certificate or résumé entry
• Is uncomfortable initiating interaction with clients
• Expects to spend most of the internship doing office-based administrative work
• Needs detailed instructions for every small task
• Frequently arrives late, cancels, or forgets assigned responsibilities
• Takes feedback personally and struggles to adjust their approach
• Believes that working with autistic individuals means simply supervising or entertaining them

Internship Details

• Full-Time Internship
• Minimum Commitment: 6 Months
• Allowance: $700+ Per Month (include CPF)
• Client-Facing and Community-Based Role
• Some Social Media and Content-Creation Responsibilities
• Sessions will take Place at Clients’ Homes or Community Locations
• Travel Within Singapore May Be Required

Join us at the ground level of a growing practice, where you will not just support the work—you will help shape how it is built.