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First-Year Placement Process:
The structure
of first-year field work is the same for all students, regardless
of population areas, and includes a Fall seminar which meets weekly
on Thursdays for two hours. The seminars are organized by population
areas and are taught by the field work consultants. In the seminar,
you will learn about agencies, practices, and issues in your field
of practice (Gerontology, Health, Children and Families, Community
Mental Health, Management and Planning) and focus on the special
nature of field learning.
During the
first seven weeks of the Fall semester, the regular Thursday field
seminar will be supplemented by special meetings and field visits
on Wednesdays or Fridays, where you will explore key issues in
the field. In the Spring semester, a field work meeting is held
every other week, facilitated by your field consultant. These
group meetings provide a space for further discussion and learning
about field work.
Early in the
Fall semester, you will have an opportunity to meet individually
with a field consultant to discuss your ideas about agency settings
and your individual learning goals. Based on these meetings, and
other information you have supplied, the consultant staff will
select your field work placement agency. You will then meet with
the agency field work instructor at the setting to confirm the
arrangement.
Placement
begins during the eighth week of the semester and proceeds for
two days per week (Wednesdays and Fridays) through the year. Your
agency field work instructor will meet with you to develop a learning
agreement that will govern the placement. The learning agreement
specifies the goals and tasks that will be accomplished in the
placement and provides the basis for periodic evaluation of your
work.
Since the
first year of our program is designed to provide a broad introduction
to social work and social welfare, field agencies are selected
by the consultants for their ability to familiarize students with
key approaches and institutions in each field of practice. Special
attention is given to the public social services, agencies that
provide a wide array of services to disadvantaged groups. Modes
of practice in these settings involve brief or supportive models
of direct practice, including case management, emergency intervention
and counseling.
As field placement
is designed to offer you new learning opportunities in new practice
settings, students are rarely allowed to do their field placement
within an agency where they have been employed. However, some
agencies may be large enough to provide such opportunities for
current employees. In order for a placement in your current place
of employment to be approved it must be a new task assignment
for you with a field work instructor who is not your current supervisor.
Your agency must agree to keep your field work distinct from your
regular/previous assignments and not to change your field work
tasks without discussion with the School.
During holidays
and vacations you not expected to be present in your placement,
in order to provide time for rest and reflection. However, you
are responsible for making arrangements with your agency to provide
continuity of coverage for any clients you are serving.
The process
of beginning professional tasks in agencies can be emotionally
and intellectually challenging. Several supports are provided
to help students at this time. Field consultants visit agencies
to meet with you and your field work instructor to discuss and
approve your learning agreement and to resolve any problems.
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