MSW Advanced Standing

Orientation to the Placement ProcessMay 20, 2010

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

MSW Advanced Standing Phase I Orientation

• Welcome • Placement Requirements• Placement Process• Work Placements• Cover Letters and Resumes• Interviews• Confirmation of Placements• Accommodations• Technical Support

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

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.

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.

Placement Requirements

Full-Time Advanced Standing MSW students complete 450 hours of placement

• 3 days/week• Usually Wed, Thurs, Fri.• Approximately 4 1/2 months• Begins week of January 3rd,

2011.

Placement Requirements

Placement Process

• Collaboration between field office and student is essential

• All placements must be confirmed by the Field Education Manager

MSW Practicum Road Map

• Site Search• Selection of top 4 placement

choices• Application submitted latest

by: September 11, 2010• Interview with Placement site• Confirmation of Placement

Agency Search

• Internet Sites– 211Toronto:

http://www.211toronto.ca/splash.jsp – Charity Village:

http://www.charityvillage.com/

• SW Database

• Advising Appointment

Choosing Possible Placement Sites

• Past work/volunteer social work experience

• Training• Social work issues/population• Skill development• Supervision/Learning style• Other responsibilities

Work Placements

• Criteria to be met• Contact Field Education

Manager to discuss• Proposal to be submitted by

September 30, 2010• Application for placement must

still be submitted by September 11, 2010

• All proposals must be approved by Field Education Manager

Cover Letter and Resume

• Work and Volunteer

• Education

• Introduce self

• What you have to offer

Cover Letter and Resume

• Save resume and cover letter under one document

• Save it with first and last name as the title of the documentEx. “SMITH Marie Resume and

Cover Letter 2010”

• Try to keep resume to 2 pages• Spell check and have someone

else read it over

Cover Letter and Resume

Resume Writing Workshop

June 24, 2010

1-3 pm

Interviews

• Professional Dress

• Discuss what you can offer

• Be clear about your learning goals and supervision

• Some sites will require a certain level of practice experience

Interviews

Interview Workshop

September 20, 2010

6-8 pm

Police Checks and Requirements

• Police check in the Fall

• Potentially need license or access to a car

• Other requirements

Confirmation of Placement

• Confirmation package• Enrollment • Orientation Session:

Beginning Placement Tuesday December 14, 2010

1-3pm

• PRS Director

Forms and Information

All available on the School web site at

http://www.yorku.ca/laps/sowk/practicum/

Accommodations

Please contact the

Counselling and Development Centre

(416) 736-5297

Room N110

Bennett Centre for Student Services

Technical Support

http://www.yorku.ca/computing/students/accounts/signupinstructions.html

YorkU Passport Instructions

• 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

Forwarding YorkU Emails

Changing Your Personal Information

Open Internet BrowserOn Address Line Type: http://www.yorku.ca

Click on “Current Students Faculty & Staff”

Changing Your Personal Information

Click on “Current Students”

Changing Your Personal Information

Click on “My Student Records”

Changing Your Personal Information

Click on the information you need to change such as address and contact information, emergency contact information, etc.

Changing Your Personal Information

Log in to Passport York and make the necessary changes

Social Work Social Work Practicum/Field Practicum/Field

Placement Database Placement Database InstructionsInstructions

Open Internet BrowserOn Address Line Type: http://www.yorku.ca/laps/sowk

Registering on the Databasevia Website

Click on “Database Sign In”

Registering on the Databasevia Website

You will be directed to the SOWK Online Application Page.Select “Students”

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

OR enter your student ID & password as well

• Select MSW or BSW Student (if you have already registered)

• In order to do this you will need to enter your student number and create a password for future use.

Registering on the Databasevia Website

Once you login you will be directed to this screen. Click on “Agency Search” to research possible placement sites. This will bring you to the following page.

Registering on the Database via Website - Agency Search

When your Agency Search is complete, continue by Clicking on Placement Request to begin the application process.

Here you will be able to go through and make selections and view information on possible Agency’s.

Registering on the Database via Website - Agency Search

• Checking multiple checkboxes will only find exact matches to your criteria.

• Search one or a few component at a time to broaden search results.

• Searching by location will generate fewer hits because of subjective regional language (i.e. GTA is can also be Mississauga)

• 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 as well

Search tips in database: ‘Learning Opportunities’

Please ensure that you’re emergency contact and employer contact information is correct and change if necessary as outlined before

Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request

Type notes, 1-2 lines max.

or it will cut you off

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.

Attach Resume and Cover letter in one document twice. You MUST submit your resume and cover letter at the time of your application. Click SUBMIT.

SUBMIT

Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request

• Please DO NOT contact agencies unless the field office has said you can

• Most agencies prefer if the field office contacts them up

• Generally makes it a smoother process for agencies and students

• Please DO NOT contact major Hospitals or CAMH on your own

• All placements MUST be confirmed by the field office

Registering on the Database via Website – Placement Request

• Please ensure that you have all documentation completed, for example resume and cover letter, 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.

• 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 September 11, 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 – think about your ranking of choices

Registering on the Databasevia Website – Other Information

QUESTIONS/CLOSING REMARKS

Thank you for coming

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions

Questions/Closing Remarks