HPW Internship: Portage County-Human Resources

Written by  Comments Off on HPW Internship: Portage County-Human Resources

HPW Student Internship Experience – Kristyn Mattson Spring 17′
Interning at Portage County under the Human Resources department is a very interesting and exciting experience. Here you are housed with the task of coordinating an entire wellness program for all employees at Portage County. It may seem intimidating to run the company’s entire wellness program, but I worked alongside my fellow UWSP intern, Elliot. When we came here Elliot and I developed a survey to assess the needs of the employees and in turn we plotted out a timeline of wellness events for the next 3 months. Throughout the internship we have given several presentations already. One recurring monthly, about weight management and we also had the opportunity to give a wellness as you age presentation to a group of older adults. Our biggest projects so far have included the “Get Your 150” fitness challenge and the 2nd annual Well @ Work Fair. For the fitness challenge participants log how many hours of moderate level physical activity they have done per week during the 8-week period and at the end they are entered in a drawing to win prizes. For the Well @ Work fair I have had the job of contacting potential vendors like businesses from the community and Portage County Health Plan Partners. Another big task at Portage County is creating the bi-weekly newsletter (The Wellness Journey), putting up monthly bulletin boards, and coordinating chair massages.

Objectives

  1. Behavior:
    1. Implement a needs assessment and utilize data to develop wellness interventions of the employees between the 15 buildings.
    2. Develop two informational and active learning programs
  2. Promotion and Marketing:
    1. Create health and wellness based bi-weekly newsletter
      1. Include real life examples like desk workouts or ways to reduce stress at work
      2. Promote upcoming events
      3. Prevention information (health observances)
      4. Food component (quick and easy snacks, featured vegetable, healthy recipes)
    2. Update wellness bulletin board for the months of March, April and May
    3. Maintain WIC Facebook Page by promoting events within the community, posting healthy tips and health education pieces
  3. Organizational Experiences:
    1. Attend and contribute to organizational staff meetings
    2. Learn about the budgeting process

On-Site Supervisor
Alison Matke
Portage County
Human Resources Department
1462 Strongs Avenue
Stevens Point, WI 54481
matkea@co.portage.wi.us
(715) 346-1327

Hours
30-40 hours per week, until 400 hours is reached

Stipend
None

UW-Stevens Point Students Who Completed Internship

  • Elliot Thiem, Spring 2017 (pictured above)
  • Kristyn Mattson, Spring 2017
  • Kaitlyn Michiels, Spring 2016
  • Colleen Behrens, Spring 2016
  • Chris Rader, Fall 2015
  • Erica Thomes, Spring 2013
  • Claire Glodowski, Spring 2014