FIELD WORK PRACTICUM IN SOCIAL WORK
MOHD UZAIR
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY, ALIGARH
INTRODUCTION TO FIELD WORK IN SOCIAL WORK
• Field Practicum is a dynamic course that helps students to apply social work practice knowledge, skills, and values within an organizational and community context.
• Field Practicum is an important component in undergraduate and graduate social work education.
• The hours and efforts of field practice prepare students to enter the work force as professional social work practitioners.
• Students are provided opportunities to apply their academic and practice experiences in the real ground.
• Through the supervised field experience, students participate in, and become familiar with, the many components of the social work profession and its roles.
• Field Practicum provides practice experiences in working with individuals, families, groups, and communities within an organizational and open community context.
• It is expected that students will experience a diversity of populations and intervention issues, relying upon a range of theoretical concepts and models to develop learning and establish a broad base for practice.
• Field education is an integral part of the Master of Social Work curriculum, providing you the opportunity to apply what you learn in the classroom and work with real-life clients under the supervision of a social worker (Faculty).
• Community/agencies act as learning laboratories, giving students
valuable exposure to the full range of functions, responsibilities,
challenges and opportunities today’s social workers experience in
current scenario.
OBJECTIVES OF FIELD WORK
• Develop practice skills by applying classroom theory to real life situations
• Determine which approaches work in practice and how they must be adapted to specific situations with individual, group or community
• Understand the effect of the of professional practice while developing skills in social work.
• Learn to use supervision and consultation
• Begin to engage in self-assessment according to values and ethics of social work.
• Develop a professional identity
COMPONENTS OF FIELD WORK PRACTICUM
1. Concurrent Field Work (twice a week)
2. Seminar Presentations (For MSW and BSW 5th Semester onwards) : Fridays
3. Supervisory Conferences: Once a week 4. Winter Rural Camp
5. Summer Internships: 6 Weeks
Field Work will be evaluated on the basis of report writing, field work attendance (concurrent field work, seminar presentations, supervisory conferences, winter camp and summer internships) and viva.
It is mandatory to attend all the components of field work for successful completion of the degree. There is no repeat in field work.
Therefore, kindly ensure your 100% attendance in all the components.
Field Work Recording
• Recording in Social Work has long been recognized as a vital component of professional and competent practice by a professional social worker in agency, private, and community settings.
• The Social Work Dictionary (1995) defines “recording” as ”The process of putting in writing and keeping on file relevant information about the client;
the problem; the prognosis; the intervention; the progress of treatment; the social, economic, and health factors contributing to the situation and the procedures for termination or referral (p. 317).
• Records can be written in different ways. The most effective way is the process recording. Other types of recording are narrative, role recording, summary recording and abstract.
• Every student is required to submit field work reports before supervisory conferences or as discussed with field supervisor.
Field Work Recording
Student is required to write field work reports in loose sheets and arrange it in block files.
The block file will be submitted to concerned faculty supervisor on the start of session.
Student is expected to write final reports with professional outlook (integrating theory into practice).
Faculty supervisor will check reports and provide necessary inputs regarding report writing and field work practicum during supervisory conferences.
Faculty supervisory may ask for rewriting of field work report; if found with errors of if there is a need for improvement.
Field work reports should be based on integration of theory and practice.
Format for Recording: Concurrent Field Work
• Field work report (Concurrent Field Work):
– Cover Page:
Department of Social Work Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Concurrent Field Work Report No:1 Name of the Student:
XYZ
Name of the Supervisor:
ABC
Placement Site:
Jamalpur, Aligarh
Day and Date: August 13, 2016 Tim 9:AM-2:00PM
Format for Recording: Concurrent Field Work
1. Plan for the day 2. Pre Planning
3. Work done (Process) 4. Observation
5. Analysis
6. Application of Social Work into Practice 7. Future Plan
8. Supervisory inputs: Date, Time of Supervisory 9. Annexures (if any)
Every student is required to keep and maintain field work diary in
your field work for rough records with date and time.
Format for Recording: Concurrent Field Work
Arranging field work file for final submission
1. Fieldwork summary sheet 2. Student Attendance Sheet 3. Self Evaluation Performa
4. Agency Profile/ Community Profile
5. Any Assignment/ Research Activity undertaken/Seminar Presentation PPT and Paper/Minutes of the presentations
6. Field work reports (first to last)
7. Supervisory Conference/ Seminar Presentation Record
Community/Agency Profile format will be shared by the department.
Student is expected to make community/agency profile separate from
field work reports.
SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS
• Seminar Presentations is a kind of student seminar.
• It is a platform for field work discussions and deliberations on the ongoing field work.
• There will be 1 chair 2 rapporteurs and a presentation in each session.
• The Chair is required to see and make proper arrangement of presentation venue including all necessary equipment’s.
• Rapporteurs are required to write minutes of the presentation of each session.
• Every student has to perform all three roles during Post Graduation.
• Each student presenter will be sharing her/his work done in field work and problems which she/he is facing during field work and will seek suggestions from the group.
• Student (MSW only) has to prepare a paper in consultation with the faculty supervisor before presentation on the topic assigned by the department and he/she has to distribute the Xerox copy duly signed to all students of MSW and faculty members.
• Rapporteurs are also required to make minutes of the presentation in consultation with the supervisor and distribute the minutes of the presentations duly signed before the next presentation to all the students of MSW and faculty members.
• Presenter will make PPT on the basis of his/her paper distributed and will present during seminar presentation.
• BSW 5th Semester will prepare PPT on the basis of topic assigned and discussion with concerned supervisor.
• It is mandatory to consult supervisor for presentation paper, PPT and minutes of the presentation.
• Without supervisor’s consent the presentation or the minutes will not be considered.
SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS
Guidelines for Seminar Presentation
1. The Chair
• The Chair will start the session by welcoming all Faculty Members, Students and Presenters of the Day.
• She/he will orient the group with the number of presentations today and will ask to confirm previous minutes of the presentation before inviting the first presenter.
• She/he will introduce the presenter and the topic of the presentation each time before the presentation.
• After each presentation the chair will open the house for questions and clarifications.
• After the questions and clarifications the chair will open the house for suggestions to the group on the presentation topic.
• After the final presentation the chairperson will invite Senior Faculty for concluding remarks.
• The Chair will keep the time limits.
2. Rapporteurs:
– Rapporteurs are expected to write minutes of each session.
– The rapporteurs are required to write all the questions and clarifications asked to the presenter.
– The rapporteurs are also required to write suggestions given by the group members in the minutes of the presentation.
– Rapporteur is required to give concluding remarks after each presentation.
3
. Presenter:
– The presenter is expected to present professionally and keeping the time limits.
– The presenter is expected to make proper PowerPoint presentations.
– Kindly try to make presentation effective, audible, presentable and precise.
– It is the duty of the presenter to report to the chair before the presentation.
– The presenter is also supposed to share any changes in title or topic of the presentation with the chair.
Presentation will be of 5-7 minutes followed by 5 minutes questions and clarifications and 5 minutes suggestions.
Every group member will ask questions by seeking permission of the chair.
