FIELD PLACEMENT INFORMATION PACKET
I. INTRODUCTION
In September 1968
This program
was planned in consultation with representatives of a number of
Students in this curriculum study and practice the fundamentals of providing helping services in a variety of behavioral health/human service settings. There is concentrated study in individual, family and group dynamics, human growth and the range of human behavior.
II. STUDENT
LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE
1. Develop the ability to form helping relationships with clients and recognize the range of feelings and behaviors presented by being involved in such relationships.
2. Examine, and when appropriate, incorporate professional values, attitudes and behaviors practiced in the placement organization.
3. Develop practice skills including verbal and non-verbal communications, interpersonal relationships, interviewing techniques, basic group leadership and membership skills, observation, report writing and record keeping, therapeutic use of self, effective work with other staff and work with families.
4. Develop an awareness of the relationship between counseling theory and its application to serving persons at the practicum.
5. Understand and practice the provision of meaningful service to clients.
6. Examine first-hand how contemporary behavioral health and human services issues may be applied to the workplace.
III. CRITERIA
FOR AGENCY SELECTION
Selection is flexible since the faculty believe that students can have productive learning experiences of many different kinds. The Behavioral Health/Human Service program relates to the many human service settings (old and new, large and small). Many different kinds of agency personnel, professionals or others can supervise our students. Agency supervisors do not have to be from a particular field. The important issue is the quality of the educational experience. The prime factors to be considered in selecting an agency for student placement are:
· the interest, flexibility, and ability of the agency to provide a suitable student learning experience;
· agency recognition that students function at various levels and have varying potential (This means that Associate Degree students should not be restricted to lower level tasks, but should be given the opportunity to function in new and creative ways); and
· flexible use of physical facilities to accommodate student placement.
IV. SUGGESTED FUNCTIONAL UTILIZATION OF STUDENTS
The student is understood to be essentially in a learning role rather than a work role, even though it is recognized that an important part of the learning occurs through doing the kind of work representative of the agency’s practice. (It is important in this regard that the student be looked upon as a member of the staff.) Several considerations arise out of the awareness of the difference between the role of student worker and the role of agency employee. Of major importance in considering these roles relate to the kinds of assignments selected for the student. Both the quantity of work and the types of assignments need to be geared to the student’s level of knowledge and readiness to make use of them. Progression in learning is also of prime importance, as is the range of learning opportunities. The College will make suggestions but at the same time respects the judgment, policy and needs of the agency with respect to student assignments.
Another crucial aspect of the student situation is the need for early involvement in direct service activities. Except for unusual circumstances, a student should have the opportunity for direct service contact within the first two or three weeks of her or his placement. Such activities could include:
· counseling functions (individual and group counseling, socializing relationships, and other functions);
· special skills functions (including tutoring, various types of retraining, and other special skills);
· community her specific functions such as reception, screening, and intake.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COLLEGE
Toward
the Student
1. Provide a theoretical background and experience-oriented learning in preparation for the practical work experience. It is the faculty’s goal to provide excellence in instruction.
2. Allow the student as much participation as possible in the choice of her or his agency placement.
3. Give the student some information about the agency and a general picture of the experience he/she can expect.
4. Arrange the means for the initial contact between the student and the agency.
5. Hold bi-weekly group supervisory meetings with faculty supervisors and schedule during office hours to provide students with the opportunity to talk on an individual basis about any concerns, questions, or interests they might have.
Toward
the Agency
1. Provide the agency with information about the curriculum and the objectives of the field practicum experience.
2. Provide the agency with necessary data about the student in order to plan the placement experience.
3. Provide a liaison person to clarify any issues that may arise. There are two persons with whom the agency will have contact. The first is the placement coordinator for issues related to placement, and the faculty supervisor, for issues related to student performance at the work site.
4. Provide information concerning the beginning and ending dates of placement and of holidays and vacation periods observed by the College.
VI. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AGENCY
Toward the Student
1. Provide adequate information about the agency’s functions, procedures and facilities.
2. Provide the student with tasks, which will involve him/her with clients and will entail a learning experience in helping.
3. Provide the student with supervision, which includes assigning tasks, helping the student to cope with these tasks, providing expertise, helping the student evaluate her or his own performance and giving support when needed.
4. Involve the student in the life of the agency as far as possible, inviting them to staff meetings or other conferences.
Toward the College
1. Meet with liaison person from the College to clarify goals and assure adequate communication.
2. Commit itself to the student for the semester(s) so that help is given when needed.
3. Complete an evaluation form (provided by the College) at the end of each semester. This evaluation is shared with the student before being sent to the College.
VII. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT
Toward the College
1. Share placement interests or limitations at the beginning of the semester so that satisfactory work assignment will be made.
2. Attend all seminars with his/her faculty supervisor and to notify this supervisor if she or he is unable to attend.
3. Inform the faculty supervisor of problems related to the work experience.
Toward the Agency
1. Meet the task assignments of the agency as they have been outlined previously.
2. Call the agency when she or he cannot attend or must be substantially late.
3. Work the required 12 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters.
4. Arrange own transportation to and from the agency.
5. Raise questions about the work, if they arise, and share honestly any difficulties he/she might encounter.
6. Hold information about the clients in confidence.
VIII. AN OVERVIEW OF THE FIELD
EXPERIENCE
Selection of Students for Assignment to Agencies
The field placement coordinator will make the final decision as to where a student will be assigned based on the following five points:
1. Student Interest: What kind of problem is the student interested in working with, e.g., retardation, community problems, adjustment problems, or mental illness? Also, what age group interests the student; children, teenagers, adults, aged?
2. Agency Needs: Agencies sometimes tell us they need students to have specific characteristics for particular jobs such as ethnic background and ability to speak a foreign language.
3.
Location: We would be cautious not to place that
student in an agency too far for commuting.
We would seek a placement relatively near his/her home or near
4. Student ability: Students come into the Behavioral Health/Human Service curriculum with varying degrees of knowledge and experience. Because some placements are more demanding than others, we would try to fit the student who seems to have a higher average set of skills in a more demanding situation.
5. Student employment: Some students who enter the Curriculum are already employed in an agency. The department head will discuss with students and their agency ways to make their job a profitable educational experience.
The Mechanisms of Placement
Students begin placement in the second (spring) semester of their first year at the College. They are required to spend 12 hours each week of the semester at their agency. Students and agencies should review the students’ schedules to see that appropriate time blocks are available. Students will normally spend two semesters at the same agency. By graduation a student will have had over 450 hours of work experience in the field.
Students are required to attend their placement on time; they are required to contact the agency to let them know if they will be late or absent and make up the lost time at some later date.
Students are not required to attend their placement during academic vacations and semester breaks. However, if students are carrying a continuing relationship with a client or group of clients, they are urged to continue that relationship over the vacation or break. In return, the students can end their placement early by the number of extra hours put in.
Supervision
The agency’s task in supervision is to assign responsibilities to the student, meet with the student to discuss the student’s successes and problems, teach the student to become a more effective helper, and – at the end of each semester – evaluate the student’s progress. A minimum of one half-hour per week should be given to each student.
Each student is supervised by a member of the faculty and attends a group supervision session for two hours every other week. Supervision helps the student integrate classroom learning with field experience.
The Faculty Supervisor (Faculty group leader) is responsible for liaison between the agency and the College for issues directly related to the student’s performance at the placement site. The Field Placement Coordinator addresses problems and issues associated with placing the student at a particular agency.
SUPERVISION: How to Make the Most of It
Supervision is a learning experience. You need to take responsibility for your own learning because no one else will. Here are some suggestions that might be useful:
1.
You are expected to work twelve hours a week at the
practicum site over the semester. If you are going to be late or absent, be
sure to call. Treat supervision like a job, as the agency is counting on you.
Sometimes practica lead to jobs, so do your best. Behave as a professional who
represents
2. Since you will be seeing your faculty supervisor at group supervision for two hours every other week, use your time well. This is a unique opportunity to get any support or help you might need both from the faculty member and fellow students. Remember, group supervision is a mandatory part of the course. The level of your attendance and participation are considered in determining your final grade.
3. Don’t be discouraged by your agency supervisor’s busy schedule. He or she will benefit from helping you. Arrange a regular supervision time so that problems can be prevented. You increase your chances of getting a good evaluation if you ask for feedback regularly. Remember, this person’s evaluation plays a major role in determining your final grade.
4. Plan your supervision time so that you know what you wish to discuss. Your supervisor is more likely to want to give you help if you know what you want. Do you need information? Suggestions? Feedback? Support? Be specific. Write down your questions in advance. Writing forces you to be specific and helps you to be prepared. Writing also gives you practice. When doing paperwork for the agency, take your time to write clearly and correctly. Use the Learning Lab if you need help.
5. Equate your practicum to a course in which you need to know the criteria for grading. You should know exactly what is expected of you. If you believe you need more learning experiences, ask for them.
6. Swallow your pride. If you don’t understand something or have forgotten, ask. You will be respected for asking questions. Being able to ask good, specific questions demonstrates skill, interest and a professional attitude. Asking good questions shows you care enough to do your job well.
7. Use all of your learning from past courses. For example, how can you practice your helping skills? In Group Dynamics you learned to be aware of the norms in your agency. If you wish to make suggestions, wait until you are considered a member of this group and have developed some trust among your peers.
8. Since you are responsible for your own learning, investigate all your learning possibilities. Be assertive and ask to take part in any task that will increase your learning. Don’t wait for your supervisor to find new ways to improve your skills.