The Application

ProcessWhat is FieldWhat is Field

How do I get How do I get there? there?

Excited / Nervous

• PracticePractice doing and integrating doing and integrating• Develop competenceDevelop competence• Develop ProfessionalismDevelop Professionalism• Test out career pathTest out career path • All social work education

Field Basics

Five Classes in the Field Sequence:Five Classes in the Field Sequence:

• Field lab - Field lab - Self Awareness, Professional Self Awareness, Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

• 490 (field) 3 credits – fall 490 (field) 3 credits – fall (You arrange (You arrange hours)hours)

• 492 – (seminar) 1 credit - fall492 – (seminar) 1 credit - fall• 491 (field) 3 credits – winter 491 (field) 3 credits – winter (You arrange (You arrange

hours) hours)

• 493 – (seminar) 1 credit - winter 493 – (seminar) 1 credit - winter

225 clock hours per semester / 450 hours total225 clock hours per semester / 450 hours total

• Seminar – 2 hours every two weeks Seminar – 2 hours every two weeks • Collaboration of three parties:Collaboration of three parties:

Student, School, SiteStudent, School, Site

FIELD REQUIREMENTS

• Candidacy Completed Conditional Candidacy• 2.5 overall GPA• 3.0 in Social Work

courses• Successful completion

of all Jr. Level Courses

Field Placement Process

• Relationships with agency

• Knowledge of Students• Connect student to

agency• Communication

How Do We Know Sites?•Affiliation agreementAffiliation agreement

The GVSU ApproachThe GVSU ApproachUnderstand AgencyUnderstand Agency

Welcome ideasWelcome ideas

•Years of exposure/experienceYears of exposure/experience•They become adjunct faculty They become adjunct faculty

Partial List of Agencies for Field Practicum

• Baxter Community Center• Bethany Christian Services• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Muskegon

County• Birchwood Care Center• The Bridge• Brookcrest Nursing Home• Caledonia Community School• Catholic Social Services of Grand

Rapids• Catholic Social Services of Muskegon• Cherry St. Clinic• Child & Family Steele School• Child & Family Resource Council• Children’s Resource Network• Christian Rest Home• Clark Retirement Community• Clark, M.J. Memorial Home• Community Action House• Community Mental Health of

Mecosta County• Interfaith Hospitality Center• Kent Client Services• Kent County Community Mental

Health• Kent County Family Independence

Agency• Kent County Family Court• Kent County Head Start• Love, Inc. – Jenison

• Lutheran Child and Family Services• McAuley Place – Muskegon• Michigan State Housing Development

Authority – Family Self-Sufficiency Program

• Muskegon Child and Family• Muskegon Community Mental Health

– Assertive Community Treatment• North Ottawa Ethnic Diversity

Alliance• Ottawa County Probate Court• Ottawa County Family Court• Ottawa County Friend of the Court • Ottawa Community Coordinated Child

Care – SCAN• Park School• Porter Hills Presbyterian Village• Project Rehab / Family• Ramoth House• Recuperation Center• Resources Against Violent Encounters

(R.A.V.E.)• Rest Haven Care Center• St. Ann’s Home• Safe Haven Ministries, Ramoth House• St. Mary’s Living Center• Salvation Army Homeless Assistance

Program• Senior Neighbors• Shiloh Family• Shore Haven Nursing Home• Steepletown Center• Wedgewood Christian Youth and

Family Services• Weed and Seed• Westside Health Clinic• Women’s Resource Center

How Do We Know Students?

• Class Class

• CandidacyCandidacy

• ApplicationApplication

Application Completion

•Application Application •EssayEssay•PicturePicture•ResumeResume•Two Audiences Two Audiences

• BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK (BSW) APPLICATION FOR FIELD EDUCATION •  • Note: Student must answer all questions. Use additional paper if necessary•  • IDENTIFYING INFORMATION•  • Student Name: ____________________ _____________________ _________________________• (Last) (First)

Middle•• Local Address: ______________________________________________________________________•  •  • ___________________________________________________________________• (City)

(Zip Code)•  •  • Telephone Number: _________________________________________________________________• (Home) (Business or Cell Phone)•  • Email Address: _______________________________________________________________________•  •  •  •  • ========================================================================

=========•  • Field Education I begins in Fall semester contingent upon the nature and availability of the placement and

educational needs of the student. Field Education II continues during the winter semester.

Questions with an asterisk (*) are optional.

SOME FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION IN ASSIGNING FIELD EDUCATION PLACEMENT  1. Are you fluent in any language other than English?Yes ☐ No ☐ 

If yes, list the language(s) below and indicate your level(s) of proficiency: 

i. __________________ Speaking☐ Reading☐ Writing☐ 

ii. __________________ Speaking☐ Reading☐ Writing☐ 2. Please rate your computer skills (check one): 

Not Proficient ☐ Proficient ☐Advanced ☐

 3. Do you have a valid driver’s license? 

Yes ☐No ☐

 4. Will you have access to a car on days when you will be at your field agency?

Yes ☐No ☐

 5. You are required to meet your own transportation needs to and from the field agency. Do you anticipate any transportation problems or limitations i.e. no license, no car, etc.?

Yes ☐ No  ☐If yes, explain:

Fall 

☐ Winter

  

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

ACADEMIC STATUS6. My Candidacy status is: Full Candidacy _____ Conditional Candidacy_____

If conditional which courses do you need to complete? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. List all the courses (by name) you intend to take during your 2 semesters of Field Education.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION  8.Do you plan on holding a job during the semesters you are enrolled in field education?Yes ☐ No ☐  If yes, how many hours per week will do you plan on working? ______________________  9.Students in the Bachelor of Social Work program complete a total of 420 field education hours over two semesters. Of these hours, 210 field hours in two semesters, Bachelor of Social Work students are expected to intern at Field Site for approximately 13 hours per week during the fall and winter semesters.  Do you have availability to complete your hours of field education during regular business hours?

Yes ☐ No ☐ 10.Are you able to accept a Field Education Placement that provides Field Education Hours beyond the standard work day i.e. 8 or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.? Yes ☐ No ☐

Or that included weekends? Yes ☐ No ☐

What skills do you expect or hope to learn from Field Education?   13. What are your preferences as to the kind(s) of populations or issues with which you would like to work with in Field Education? Please explain why.    14. What kind(s) of populations or issues would not be comfortable working with in Field Education? Explain why.    FIELDS OF PRACTICE 15. Provided below is a list of field of practice. From the list, select 3 fields of practice where you would like to complete your Field Education.  1. ____________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________

Fields of Practice 

•Administration Developmental Disabilities Aging/Gerontology Domestic Violence Mental Health Criminal Justice•Substance Abuse Policy •Family Services Administration •Military Social Work•Child Welfare•Group Services•Program Evaluation•Community Planning•Health•Housing•School  

In each essay: (1) include a definition of your understanding of the field’s practice, including any previous work/volunteer experience in this area; (2) outline skills that are essential for social work practitioners in the field of practice; (3) share your interest and suitability for the practice area.

Refer to course texts and journal articles for an accurate understanding of each practice area.   

CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND INFORMATION An increasing number of Human Service Agencies are requiring student interns to submit to a criminal history background check. It is therefore critical that you are informed of how a criminal history background may impact your Field Education. Please initial in the spaces provided below to indicate that you understand and agree to comply with the following:  _____ I understand that any past, current or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties against me in any jurisdiction may make me ineligible for Field Education Placement.  _____ I understand that I am required to disclose any past, current, or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties in this application. _____ I understand that failure to disclose any past, current, or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/ or penalties in this application may result in disciplinary action by Grand Valley State University School of Social Work. _____ I understand that along with the rest of my Field Education Application, the “Criminal History Background Information” portion of my Field Education Application, will be made available to Field Sites that I will interview with for Field Education Placement.  _____ I understand that even though the “Criminal History Background Information” portion of my Field Education Application will be made available to Field Sites, I am required to disclose all past, current, or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties when I interview for Field Education Placement with a Field Site.

I understand that failure to disclose any past, current or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties when I interview for Field Education Placement with a Field Site will result in disciplinary action by Grand Valley State University School of Social Work. _____ I understand that it is my responsibility to inform the Field Site and the School of Social Work’s Field Education office at Grand Valley State University of any new felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties that occur after I have begun Field Education Placement. Failure to disclose such new felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties can result dismissal from the Field Site and disciplinary action by Grand Valley State University School of Social Work. _____ I am aware that it is my responsibility to educate myself on how past or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties may affect my ability to be licensed as a social worker.  Do you have any past, current or pending felonies, criminal charges, convictions, and/or penalties in any jurisdiction? Yes ☐

No☐ If yes, please explain (use an additional sheet of paper if necessary): 

Application – Continued • Resume

– Career Services– Types of Experiences

• Photo • Your introduction to field

instructor • October 24• 2 Copies: 1 paper to Michelle 1 Electronic – Lehkerd@gvsu.edu

The Placement and Matching Process

• Review applicationReview application• Email – Complete or not Email – Complete or not • Interview –Interests, ideas Interview –Interests, ideas

(Nov./Dec.)(Nov./Dec.)• Contact with agency Contact with agency • Notice to student to contact Notice to student to contact

agencyagency• Interview with agencyInterview with agency• Letter from agencyLetter from agency• Notice to studentNotice to student• Seminar section notificationSeminar section notification

What you can do….•Focus on application •Interview – Dress and Homework

•Being open to range of possibilities

Timelines• October 24 - Field Application

Due • Confirm application accepted –

Mid November• Placement Notification – Mid

November – March• Placement confirmation –

December – April • Start Placement – August 2012

Trouble-Shooting

• Contact our officeContact our office

• Do your homework Do your homework

• Visit your agencyVisit your agency

• Go to the interviewGo to the interview

Unsure about placement?Unsure about placement?

Points and questions… • Importance of relationship• What if it doesn’t work

out? • WWW. GVSU.EDU/SSW

Documents

Seminar • Small Group • Development of

Professionalism• Sharing real issues with

colleagues • Journal and Agency

Report• Engagement

Learning Contract• Holds Student and Site

Accountable• Ten Competencies and

each Practice Behavior• Treatment Plan for you –

Concrete and Specific• Basis of Semester

Evaluation