Fashion students begin internship training at American Girl non-profit

Yes She Can helps trainees learn transferable job skills that will allow them to thrive as members of the workforce

Rebecca Merlos and Maggie Lang were meticulous. They sprayed the hair of the dolls with water and brushed away, determined to untangle knots and straighten the brown and blonde strands until they looked like new.

But in a business, they were reminded, at some point one task is done and another awaits. That was one of many real-life lessons the Center for Career Services’ Intro to Fashion and Retail students will learn during their internship this school year with Yes She Can, a non-profit organization in White Plains.

“We want to incorporate what they have learned in the classroom and apply that in an internship,” said Sarah Hughes, a Student Transition Specialist at the Center for Career Services.

Yes She Can helps its trainees, including people with autism and other learning differences, to develop transferable job skills that will enable them to join and thrive as members of the workforce. The program allows the trainees to work on the restoration of the popular American Girl dolls and accessories. The refurbished items are then displayed and sold in the attached boutique, Girl AGain.

The training provides a vehicle for trainees to learn and practice social and interpersonal skills that can help them join the workforce.

“These internships can sometimes lead to a job, but sometimes it’s just about going to work and working on their social skills,” Hughes said. “When they interact here, they can really learn from one another.”

All Yes She Can trainees learn important aspects of quality control. They check a doll’s fabrics and hair and may need re-stuff or re-dress it, if necessary.

During the process, trainees also learn about much more than just how to repair a doll. They may help create displays for the boutique, interact with visiting customers, or work the cash register.

During training, they may discuss anything from how a defect in the doll may affect its sale price to what topics are acceptable (and not) to discuss during a break. One employee recently discussed with Merlos and Lang whether or not it was appropriate to bring a dog to the workplace.

Executive Director Robin Davies-Small said the internship, which just began this month, is part of her organization’s new relationship with Southern Westchester BOCES. Through May, Merlos and Lang will visit for 90 minutes on Tuesdays to learn new skills alongside other trainees, many of whom work with Yes She Can for more than four hours a day, multiple days a week.

“Our goal is to teach them the job skills that will help them transition to the next step in their lives,” Davies-Small said. “Whether that’s a job in the community, going to college, etc., some students aren’t ready to go to the next step yet. We can help teach them the vocational skills and business skills to help them be successful.”