INNOVATIONS IN FIELD INSTRUCTION: A PILOT PROJECT

1. INNOVATIONS IN FIELD INSTRUCTION: A PILOT PROJECT Marian Klemek, MSW, LCSW Coordinator of Field Education Nancy Meyer-Adams, Ph.D, MSW Undergraduate Program Coordinator CSULB, Department of Social Work September 5, 2008

2. Bending over backwards

3. More students than you had planned

4. What to do?

5. Putting our heads together • Finding a solution to benefit agencies, field instructors and students

6. NEW IDEA! • Instead of finding new internships, can we find a new way to work with the internships we have already established?

7. What is the junior practicum? BASW students’ first hands-on experience in a social work agency • Preparation for senior field • 80 hours in the agency (8 hours per week for 10 weeks) • Goals: • Understand generalist social work at a micro, mezzo and macro level • Observe social workers in action by shadowing • Understand the function of the agency and the social work services provided to clients • Complete a written assignment based on activities in the agency

8. Practicum Assignments • BASW students must complete a minimum of 4 interviews with: • An agency administrator to learn more about the function of the agency • Two individual clients (in whatever capacity that would be appropriate-e.g. information & referral, initial intake, etc.) • One collateral contact, to understand what and how relevant information about a client is shared and with whom within the context of confidentiality

9. AND THE IDEA IS….. • Field Instructor supervises 2nd year MSW student/2nd year MSW student mentors junior BASW student for their 80 hour practicum experience!

10. Why second- year MSW students: • They have successfully completed one year of internship • They are enrolled in an administrative practice class and learn about supervision • They rarely experience the role of supervisor even in a macro placement • After graduation, social workers who are promoted, are usually promoted into supervisory roles, with no previous hands-on experience

11. How it was organized • Letters sent to field instructors of all 2nd year MSW students • Interested field instructors approached their students • Confirmation sent to us • Arrangements were made for a pre-placement interview • BASW student accepted for placement

12. Our first try: • Cohort of 10 junior BASW students and 10 2nd year MSW students • The agencies included • Hospice Care • Mental health agencies • School placements • Domestic violence agencies • The BASW students were matched with agencies by their experience, learning needs and geography. If the agency was participating in the project, the student was mentored by a 2nd year MSW student

13. MSW Activities • Participated, along with their field instructors, in the pre-placement interview with the BASW student • Under the guidance of their field instructors, made plans for the BASW’s experiences in the agency • Provided the one hour of supervision with the BASW student • Monitored the BASW’s progress • Completed the BASW’s evaluation at the end of the practicum with additional guidance from their field instructors

14. BASW Activities • Shadowed the MSW student, as well as other MSW students/practitioners • Home visits • Initial intakes • Information & referrals • Co-facilitated/participated in groups • Attended staff meetings, team meetings, and interdisciplinary meetings • Attended Group Supervision

15. Evaluation of the project • Field Instructors • Final Evaluation of Field Experience (Feedback for liaisons and department) • MSW (Comprehensive Skills Evaluation) & BASW (Student Evaluation by Supervisor) • Pilot Project Questionnaire • MSW students • Beginning and Mid-semester Pilot Project Questionnaire • Focus groups • BASW students • Agency Evaluation • Focus groups

16. What we learned • Field Instructors • Excellent learning opportunity for both BASW and MSW students • Met expectations • MSW students brought mentoring issues to their own supervision • Other feedback from the audience?

17. What we learned • MSW Students • Apprehensive at first about their own skill level • Can I do this? • Will I let the BASW student down? • Built confidence in their own skills • Teaching • Role modeling • Supervisory/mentoring • Interviewing and appropriate interventions • Time management • Delegating appropriate learning experiences and tasks • Provided a first experience in supervision • Learned from each other (MSW & BASW) • Adjust their schedules to accommodate the new role

18. What we learned • BASW Students • Helped reduce anxiety about first field experience • A variety of experience were made available • Shadowed several social workers and able to observe different styles of intervention • Felt supported by both mentor and field instructor

19. The focus groups

20. The MSW students told us… • They would definitely recommend that this program continue • “I think by far this was one of the best experiences for students to have” • They must know their threshold and what they can and cannot take on • It would have been helpful to plan for this earlier

21. The MSW students told us… • They worked collaboratively with their field instructor to develop a game plan which was successful • “It was a reciprocal learning experience; it solidified what I learned at the agency to pass on to someone else and to get a fresh perspective on difficult situations…it definitely impacted my educational experience” • “An opportunity to see if I wanted to be a supervisor and what were my strengths and what are the things I needed to work on to pursue that”

22. The BASW students told us.. It should definitely be continued next year • The MSW students should be recognized for their contribution, and the extra time • The shadowing and feedback made it an excellent learning experience • It helped relieve anxiety because the mentor was also a student in the learning role • It was not very planned out at the beginning, but got better as the practicum continued

23. The BASW students told us… • There was some confusion about roles and who was my field instructor • They felt very supported as new interns • “The MSW made a conscious effort to be considerate of what my skills were and how to build on those…also to bring awareness to things I could work on.” She also made me aware of what a social worker does at the agency…the ins and outs of that agency.”

24. Our goal is…. • To give MSW students another learning opportunity and have: • An experience integrating knowledge about supervision into practice • More understanding and insight about the role of a supervisor • To continue to provide excellent field placements for our BASW students as they: • Enter the workforce as a bachelor level social worker • Enter the MSW program

25. Interested in learning how you can participate? Go to www.csulb.edu/depts/socialwk