MSW P/T Advanced Standing Orientation to the Placement Process December 10 th , 2009

1. MSW P/T Advanced Standing Orientation to the Placement Process December 10th, 2009

2. MSW Advanced Standing Phase I Orientation • Introduction to the School of Social Work • Placement Requirements • Placement Registration • Placement Process • Things to Consider • Work Placements • International Placements • Cover Letters and Resumes • Interviews • Confirmation of Placements • Accommodations • Technical Support • Questions/Concluding Remarks

3. Introductions • Maureen Boettcher – Field Education Manager • 416-736-2100 Ext 39488 • mobe@yorku.ca • Sheryl Abraham – Assistant Field Education Coordinator • 416-736-2100 Ext 33354 • sabraham@yorku.ca

4. Welcome to the School of Social Work We are a School that strives to create a inclusive, respectful environment for our students. We are honored to welcome students of many different and intersecting identities. We are open to exploring alternative or non traditional placement opportunities for our students We encourage you to be creative and proactive in your search

5. Mission Statement The School of Social Work at York teaches from a critical social work perspective. We focus on issues of social justice, marginalization and oppression We focus on teaching students to understand social problems from this perspective and to address social problems as social justice issues.

6. We endeavour to educate students to be flexible practitioners who practice from multiple stances and work with people’s immediate distress and the social contexts involved in it. As a result we do not have streams of practice within the program or within placements. We encourage students to think about where to do their placement in terms of the social justice issues they wish to address and the skills they need to develop to do so effectively.

7. Placement Requirements Part-Time Advanced Standing MSW students complete 450 hours of placement

8. Placement Requirements • 2-5 days/week • 2 days/week = 6 1/2 months • 3 days per week = approx. 4 1/2 months • 4-5 days/week = 2 1/2months • FULL days at Placement • Begins the first or second week of school in September 2010

9. Registering in Practicum Course • Register in 5350.6 (Practicum Course) • MUST register in the Summer although placement starts in the Fall term • 5450 (Practice Research Seminar) is to be taken concurrently with the practicum

10. Placement Process • Collaboration between field office and student is essential • All placements must be confirmed by the Field Education Manager

11. Factors For Agencies/Field Office To Consider • Agency’s interest in taking students • Non-Profit agency • Agency’s s.w. philosophy • Learning opportunities • Supervision time • Educational qualifications of supervisors • Physical Space • Timelines of placement • Legal Requirements for the agency • Practicum, NOT an Internship

12. The placement process can take some time because of the previous factors. This is normal. We work on your first two choices first. We will try to get you at least 1 or 2 interviews so you can make an informed decision. If you are getting anxious, please feel free to e-mail us to set up an in-person meeting, we are flexible with times of setting up a meeting. Setting up telephone meetings may work as well

13. MSW Practicum Road Map • Site Search • Advising Appointment • Selection of top 4 placement choices • Application submitted latest by: Monday February 22nd, 2010, 4:30 pm. • Field office will send out applications after this deadline. • Interview with Placement site • Tell the field office before it happens. • Placement is still not guaranteed. • Field Office follows up with field instructor • Confirmation of Placement Package if everything is okay • Beginning Placement Orientation

14. School and Student’s Obligations in Placement Process Students are not guaranteed a placement simply because they have completed the academic portion of their degree. Students are expected to demonstrate readiness for practice in the process of securing a placement in addition to the fulfillment of the practicum hours.

15. School and Student’s Obligations in Placement Process • Complete core courses • Know what skills you want out the placement and be able to express this when meeting with us and agencies • Completing the on-line application • Informing the field office when you get interviews before they happen • Keeping in contact with us. • Following up with agencies as required and as appropriate. • Being professional during interviews and during placement

16. Agency Search • Internet Sites • 211Toronto: http://www.211toronto.ca/splash.jsp • Charity Village: http://www.charityvillage.com/ • SW Database • Advising Appointment

17. Choosing Possible Placement Sites • Past work/volunteer social work experience • Training • Social work issues/population • Skill development • Supervision/Learning style • Self-care practices • Work Placements

18. Work Placements • Criteria to be met • Contact Field Education Manager to discuss • Proposal to be submitted byFebruary 24th, 2010 • Application for placement must still be submitted by February 22nd 2010, 4:30 pm. • All proposals must be approved by Field Education Manager

19. International Placements • Possibilities • Pros and Cons • Process

20. Cover Letter and Resume • Work and Volunteer • Education • Introduce self • What you have to offer

21. Cover Letter/Resume Workshop January 22nd, 2010 4:00 pm Kinsmen 1002

22. Cover Letter and Resume • Save resume and cover letter under one document • .doc or .rtf format • Save it with first and last name as the title of the document Ex. “SMITH Marie Resume and Cover Letter 2010” • Try to keep resume to 2 pages • Spell check and have someone else read it over

23. Interviews • Professional Dress • Discuss what you can offer • Be clear about your learning goals and supervision and daily activities • Determine what you will do on a daily basis and which workers you will be working with • Some sites will require a certain level of practice experience

24. Police Checks and Requirements • Police check in the Summer • Potentially need license or access to a car • Other requirements

25. Confirmation of Placement • Confirmation package • Enrollment • Orientation Session: Beginning Placement (Mandatory): Early Sept. 2010, Date and location to be determined 7-9 pm • PRS Director

26. Forms and Information All available on the School web site at http://www.yorku.ca/laps/sowk/practicum/

27. Accommodations Please contact the Counselling and Development Centre (416) 736-5297 Room N110 Bennett Centre for Student Services

28. Technical Support

29. YorkU Passport Instructions http://www.yorku.ca/computing/students/accounts/signupinstructions.html

30. Forwarding YorkU Emails • Type http://mymail.yorku.ca as website address (Netscape or Internet Explorer) • Go to Options • Mail Management • York Mail Management Options • Edit Your Mail Forwarding Settings • In the blank field enter the email address to which you want to forward your York account • Click save options to save the changes. • Send an e-mail to your YorkU e-mail and make sure it goes to your other account

31. Changing Your Personal Information Open Internet Browser On Address Line Type: http://www.yorku.ca Click on “Current Students Faculty & Staff”

32. Changing Your Personal Information Click on “Current Students”

33. Changing Your Personal Information Click on “My Student Records”

34. Changing Your Personal Information Click on the information you need to change such as address and contact information, emergency contact information, etc.

35. Changing Your Personal Information Log in to Passport York and make the necessary changes

36. Social Work Practicum/Field Placement Database Instructions

37. Registering on the Databasevia Website Open Internet Browser On Address Line Type: http://www.yorku.ca/laps/sowk

38. Registering on the Databasevia Website Click on “Database Sign In”

39. Registering on the Databasevia Website You will be directed to the SOWK Online Application Page. Select “Students”

40. Registering on the Databasevia Website Registering on the Databasevia Website This will bring you to the SOWK Online Application –Students Page. • Click on “Register new account” for 1st time users • If you were a previous BSW student and are now an MSW student, you will have to register again as an MSW student only once. • OR enter your student ID & password (if you have already registered) • NOTE: this is different than your Passport York Account Log-in • Select MSW or BSW Student (if you have already registered) • Click Submit

41. Registering on the Databasevia Website - Agency Search Registering on the Database via Website - Agency Search Once you log-in, you will be directed to your Student Profile screen. Click on “Agency Search” at the top right to research possible placement sites.

42. Registering on the Databasevia Website - Agency Search Registering on the Database via Website - Agency Search The Agency Search page allows you to search agencies by Name, Address, and City. Click on Placement Search to see all the agencies in the database When your Agency Search is complete, continue by Clicking on Placement Request to begin the application process.

43. Registering on the Databasevia Website - Researching Tips • There is no list of available agencies for each term • The database is a list of agencies we have used in the past but may or may not be available, depending on many factors. • Take a look at the posted links/websites to get an idea of what the place is about • The search engine is very precise. Be sure to be exact in your spelling • Check out: • http://www.211toronto.ca/splash.jsp • Other city’s social services search engines • RESEARCH on the student’s part is key in the placement process

44. Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request Be sure to fill out the appropriate program and the Term you are applying for. Provide the number of FULL days per week you will be in placement. Provide emergency contact information and Employment Information. Other personal information will be automatically generated by the database. If any of the personal information is incorrect, please be sure to update it on the main York system.

45. Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request Type notes, 1-2 lines max. or it will cut you off

46. Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request Please ensure that you choose 4 distinctly different agencies (i.e., do not choose more than one location of the same agency as separate choices). If Agency does not exist, click on Other Agency and complete requested information. SUBMIT Attach Resume and Cover letter in one document. You MUST submit your resume and cover letter at the time of your application. Click SUBMIT.

47. Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request • Please DO NOT contact agencies we have connections with, please check in with us if you are unsure if we have a connection with an agency. • Generally makes it a smoother process for agencies and students • Most agencies prefer if the field office contacts them up • Please DO NOT contact Hospitals on your own • All placements MUST be confirmed by the field office

48. Questions You Can Ask Agencies We Don’t Have Connections With • Do you take un-paid placement students? • Do you have a social worker with a social work degree on site (MSW). • If not, do you have someone interested in taking a student on at this time? If so, what is their educational background? • How long have they been at the agency? • What are the learning opportunities at this agency? • May I have the potential field instructor’s contact information (phone number and ext. and e-mail address)? • Put this information on your application if you are interested in them and they’ve met these requirements up above. The Field Office can follow-up from there. • Please bear in mind the placement may still not meet our other requirements or other factors may be involved

49. Registering on the Databasevia Website – Other Information • Please ensure that you have all documentation completed, for example resume and cover letter (.doc or .rtf format), before submitting your application. No editing privileges are permitted, therefore if you have omitted any details to your application, you will have to start over and complete it again. • The application will log you out after 20 minutes of inactivity • Please write on the application an alternative e-mail address if you do not use your yorku e-mail account. • Please note that the “SUBMIT” button will disappear from the on-line database application once the deadline date February 22nd, 2010 has passed. • Please e-mail the field office any changes to the application after you have submitted it. • We work on securing your first or second choice first • Please do not put popular hospitals, school boards and CAS as your third or fourth choice.

50. Questions/Closing Remarks QUESTIONS/CLOSING REMARKS Thank you for coming Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns