Meet Jeanette Bernard: Building a Career in Advocacy and Youth Mental Wellness
At Touchstone Foundation, our interns bring diverse educational backgrounds, professional experiences, and perspectives that strengthen our work with young people and the Lancaster County community. This semester, we are excited to welcome Jeanette Bernard, a Master of Social Work student whose background in criminal justice and human services has shaped her commitment to advocacy, connection, and supporting young people.
Through her time with Touchstone Foundation, Jeanette will gain hands-on experience working with youth while exploring how mental health education, prevention, and community-based programming can help young people feel more comfortable talking about their mental well-being and seeking support when they need it.
Finding Her Path to Social Work
Jeanette is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work (MSW) after beginning her educational journey in criminal justice, with minors in psychology and pre-law.
While those areas provided the foundation for her professional interests, it was her experience working in the human services field that ultimately led her toward social work.
Over the years, Jeanette has had opportunities to work with and advocate for different populations. Those experiences helped her recognize that supporting people, connecting them with resources, and helping them navigate difficult circumstances were the aspects of her work she found most meaningful.
“I don’t think there was one specific moment that led me to social work,” Jeanette shared. “It was more of something that developed over time through my different work experiences.”
Today, she is particularly interested in working with young people and hopes to eventually bring her social work experience into a school setting.
Discovering a Passion for Advocacy
For Jeanette, choosing social work wasn’t the result of a single defining experience. Instead, her career direction developed as she gained experience working directly with people and communities.
“I realized that I really enjoyed being able to advocate for people, support them through difficult situations, and help connect them with the resources they need,” she said.
That realization helped transform advocacy from one component of her work into an important part of the career she wants to build.
Social work now provides Jeanette with an opportunity to bring together her previous experience in human services with her interests in psychology, advocacy, and helping individuals access meaningful support.
Why Touchstone Foundation?
Jeanette’s interest in Touchstone Foundation comes from the organization’s focus on youth mental health and wellness and the opportunity to gain experience that complements her long-term career goals.
“What really drew me to Touchstone was the focus on youth mental health and wellness,” Jeanette shared. “Since I’m interested in eventually working with youth in a school setting, I felt like this opportunity aligned really well with where I want to go professionally.”
Her internship will provide opportunities to see youth mental wellness from a community-based perspective while learning how nonprofits, schools, families, mental health professionals, and community partners can contribute to stronger systems of support.
Learning Through Hands-On Experience
During her time at Touchstone Foundation, Jeanette hopes to build upon what she is learning through her MSW program by gaining more direct experience with young people.
“I’m hoping to get more hands-on experience working with youth and learn more about mental health advocacy and prevention,” she said.
Through Touchstone’s youth-focused programs and community initiatives, Jeanette will have opportunities to see how prevention, education, advocacy, and relationship-building can work together to support mental wellness before young people reach a point of crisis.
These experiences will also help her continue exploring what a future career supporting students within a school environment could look like.
Making Mental Health Easier to Talk About
One area of youth mental wellness that Jeanette is particularly passionate about is helping young people feel comfortable discussing their mental health.
Although conversations surrounding mental health have become more visible, stigma can still prevent young people from sharing what they are experiencing or asking for help.
“There can still be a lot of stigma around mental health, especially for young people,” Jeanette explained.
Creating environments where young people can speak openly about mental wellness is an important part of changing that experience. Through education, trusted relationships, accessible resources, and opportunities for youth to use their voices, communities can help normalize conversations about mental health and make seeking support feel less intimidating.
That commitment closely connects with Touchstone Foundation’s work to increase awareness, strengthen self-advocacy, and create opportunities for young people to engage in conversations about their mental well-being.
Beyond Social Work
Outside of graduate school and her professional interests, Jeanette values spending time with the people closest to her.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, discovering new restaurants, and traveling whenever she has the opportunity.
Whether she is exploring a new place or preparing for a future career working with young people, Jeanette brings a strong interest in connection and supporting others.
We are excited to welcome Jeanette Bernard to Touchstone Foundation and look forward to the perspective she will bring to our work. As she continues pursuing her MSW and exploring a future in school-based social work, we are pleased to be part of her journey toward a career centered on advocacy, youth mental wellness, prevention, and helping young people feel heard and supported.
