In the Field: A Guide for the Social Work Practicum

Agency need and availability of qualified staff, experiences that previous students have had at those sites, and schedule matching are some of the other factors involved. Some schools allow MSW students to choose from a variety of pre-approved field education sites. Others assign students with their input, but others may assign without student input.

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Some schools allow employed students to utilize their work site for their field site; others do not. You may be feeling overwhelmed at the idea of this great unknown that is field education. You need not worry, as there will be a variety of experienced professionals available to guide you through this process.

Do what you can to prepare ahead of time. Reading this guide is a good start. Speaking of being prepared, get organized! Not only will you keep records of your client contact hours, your hours on site, your meetings with supervisors, etc. Field instructors are provided because there is an expectation that students are facing a learning curve. Enter your foundation year with humility and questions — the more the merrier.

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Seek supervision early and often. Social work professionals agree to be field instructors because they want to help shape the newest members of our field.

Maintain professional boundaries with your colleagues and clients at your field site. You never know when a job opportunity might come up. Let your field site actions demonstrate that you take your work seriously. Your social work career starts now! In addition to learning the basics of how to be a social worker, your foundation year teaches you a lot about who you are as a professional.

Some of what you learn about yourself on the job might surprise you. Process your feelings with your field instructor, faculty adviser or field seminar colleagues. One of the best things about social work is that there really is a home for every kind of worker. Foundation year is about figuring out what type of home you want.

That way, when it comes time to choose your specialization or your concentration year field experience, you have a solid idea of where in the world of social work you want to live. Even though both groups are experiencing similar themes, you may take a different theoretical approach, and you will definitely employ different techniques and activities with young children than you would with middle-aged adults.

Like the foundation year, your field placement will most likely be in a social service agency or a social work department within a larger human services organization, such as a hospital, school, government agency or rehabilitation facility. Though the agency may be similar or, in rare cases, the same as your first year field site, the work will be different, and you can expect to put in more hours than you did last year — as many as needed to meet the hours CSWE requires or possibly more.

This will likely include at least two full-time eight-hour days.

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Ultimately, this is at the discretion of your school of social work, so talk to them before accepting a job! Here are some points to consider when selecting your site:. One of the ultimate goals of your MSW program is to help you start your career, and obviously, that includes finding a job after you graduate!

Your concentration year is the bridge between student and professional, and field education is paramount to the learning you will do. Choose your placement wisely, and make the most of every day on site! Field placement is like being a teenager: Adolescence is a confusing, conflicting time. Field placement can be that way, too. You should have received a copy of the NASW Code of Ethics from your faculty adviser or another resource provided by your university prior to beginning your field placement.



Familiarize yourself with it before you report for your first day of practicum. Go to your first field seminar or meet with your field instructor prepared to ask clarifying questions. If you find yourself in a murky situation, consult the social work professionals available to you through your field site, your seminar, your faculty, etc. We work diligently in our school teaching a peer consultation model, as seeking consultation is a skill that will last a lifetime.

All too often, students do not seek out support or discussion out of a fear they will be criticized or get in trouble. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem?

In the Field: A Guide for the Social Work Practicum

Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — In the Field by William A. Very brief and down-to-earth field manual that helps students prepare for entering their first field placement. It addresses issues that students often struggle with in thei Very brief and down-to-earth field manual that helps students prepare for entering their first field placement.

It addresses issues that students often struggle with in their beginning practicum and reinforces that co-workers, supervisors, and the students' own life experiences have much offer. Improve Critical Thinking -- Throughout the text, students are encouraged to think critically about how to address a variety of situations they will encounter. Engage Students -- Actual case examples and feedback from field students provide insight and friendly advice for students in their first field placement. Explore Current Issues -- The new edition includes up-to-date information on cultural competency, health care laws, client assessment, and student safety.

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Table of Contents

Improve Critical Thinking — Throughout the text,students are encouraged to think critically about how to address a variety of situations they will encounter. Engage Students — Actual case examples and feedback from field students provide insight and friendly advice for students in their first field placement. Explore Current Issues — The new edition includes up-to-date information on cultural competency, health care laws, client assessment, and student safety.

Student-friendly writing style helps students feel more at ease going into their field practicum.

Pass Your Social Work Internship - Real World Advice

New to This Edition. Found in this section: Overview of changes 2. Provides access to MySocialWorkLab videos, cases, and practice questions to test student competence. Create a Custom Text: To begin building your custom text, visit www. You may also work with a dedicated Pearson Custom editor to create your ideal text—publishing your own original content or mixing and matching Pearson content.

Beginning at the Beginning Chapter 4: