Credit Points 20

Legacy Code 102782

Coordinator Justine O'Sullivan Opens in new window

Description This subject enables students to participate in a structured and supervised field placement experience, providing the opportunity for students to combine their knowledge of theory and application of their skills into practice in the human services sector. Placements will be offered in direct or indirect service work with a wide range of client groups and communities in the government and nongovernment sectors. A variety of social work and community welfare-related agencies in and around Sydney will be utilised. Students will attend skills based workshops and complete 400 hours of placement in accordance with accreditation requirements of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) guidelines.

School Social Sciences

Discipline Social Work

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 20cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Pre-requisite(s) WELF 2017

Incompatible Subjects WELF 2005 - Field Education 1 WELF 3004 - Community Welfare Field Education

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in programs 1665 Bachelor of Community Welfare, 1666 Bachelor of Social Work or 1713 Bachelor of Criminal and Community Justice/Bachelor of Social Work and must have successfully completed 120 credit points.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Explain and demonstrate the different communication skills needed for working with a range of clients and volunteers in human services organisations.
2. Prepare for work within the human services sector through developing a network for future employment and career planning after successful completion of 400 hours of practicum.
3. Demonstrate an advanced level of knowledge and skills in human services practice including the role of supervision in the field placement and workplace.
4. Critically evaluate their own learning and practice, and evaluate their readiness for entering the human services workforce; understand concepts of self-care.
5. Demonstrate an ability to critically assess the need for appropriate services and be able to take action and develop these services.

Subject Content

1. 400 hours of supervised practicum in a welfare/human services agency.
2. Intervention skills: casework, group work, community work, including assertiveness and strategies and techniques for working with a range of client/consumer groups.
3. Professional communication skills, including telephone skills and report writing skills, critical thinking and analysis, networking and referral skills.
4. Community needs and human services available to people within a particular region.
5. The nature of supervision, peer support, assessment and self-care on placement.
6. Ethical practice in human services work; consideration of the values and ideology in practice frameworks.
7. Working with volunteers and bureaucracies.
8. Work Health and Safety issues including dealing with violence in the workplace.
9. Methods of critical reflection on process of intervention in light of personal agency ideology and social welfare values.
10. Debriefing from the placement experience; integrating theory with practice and future learning.

Special Requirements

Legislative pre-requisites

Prior to enrolling in this subject, students must have submitted a Student Undertaking Form and undertake to apply for a National Police Check, which is required to be submitted before placement, and a Working with Children Check Student Declaration. Refer to the Special Requirements website for more information.
Special Requirements