Field - Fort Garry campus

Field instruction provides students with an opportunity to engage, as beginning practitioners, in the processes of social work assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation and integration of theory from classroom course work to placement setting. Students complete their field placement requirements in a variety of service agencies and organizations. 

The Faculty of Social Work has undergone an update of its curriculum. With the new curriculum rollout, there is a transition period where students who were admitted prior to the new curriculum beginning in 2023 will need to complete the requirements of the old curriculum. It will be important for those admitted prior to 2023 as well as those admitted into the new curriculum to become familiar with the transition, how courses will be rolled out as well as, for returning students, to know how the new curriculum rollout may impact the courses they need to register for to complete their BSW degree.

Legacy students:

Referring to both students admitted and the curriculum that were or in use prior to 2023. Policies that apply to this student type or curriculum will be highlighted in orange to make it easier to identify.

Contemporary students:

Referring to both students admitted and the curriculum that is being introduced in 2023. Policies that apply to this student type or curriculum will be highlighted in blue to make it easier to identify.

Preparing for Field

Prior to applying for field placement, students are expected to participate in the “Everything You Wanted to Know About Field” workshop. The dates of the workshop are circulated in advance. After attending this workshops students will be invited to attend the “Field Information Day”. This event is held to provide students an opportunity to meet with potential Field Instructors and hear about learning opportunities at their placement sites.

Students are also encouraged to access the information and supports available on campus to assist them with resumé and/or interview preparation.

Field Placement Agency Required Checks

Students seeking field placement in a health-related setting are expected to comply with the immunization policies of the designated Health Authority in their region or community area.

All students must meet all agency specific requirements prior to commencing field placement, such as Child Abuse Registry Checks, Vulnerable Sector Record Checks and Criminal Record Checks, or others as determined and specified by the respective field agency.

These checks are to be provided to the Agency and/or the Field Instructor, prior to placement starting. Please note that students will be responsible for any fees associated with the above requirements.

Matching and placement process

The Field Education Coordinator is responsible for securing a reasonable Field Placement. Please note, a student placement in a field setting is not guaranteed based on completion of pre-requisite courses and/or submission of a Field Placement Request form.

While efforts will be made to consider a student’s area of interest for a placement, there is no guarantee of a student being placed in one of their identified agency preferences. Final authority for field placement referral and confirmation rests with the Field Education Coordinator. Decisions may be based on availability of agency openings as well as the educational needs of the student.

STEP 1:
Students requesting a Field Placement during the regular academic session (fall/winter) or during summer session (May to August) must submit a completed Field Placement Application form and resumé by February 1 to the Field Program Assistant.  Applications are also emailed to students by the academic advisors.

STEP 2:
Upon receipt of the student’s completed Field Application form, new users to the online database, Intern Placement Tracking (IPT), will receive a temporary password, username and an IPT Student Manual. In IPT, students are required to identify up to eight agency preferences for placement, due on or before March 1st. Field placements will not be secured for students who do not submit their request, along with all required documentation, prior to deadline dates.

Please note: Students are not to contact field placement agencies or prospective Field Instructors directly.

STEP 3:
The Field Education Coordinator refers students eligible for field to the Field Placement agency identified as the student’s first preference for consideration of an interview. After reviewing the resumé, the Field Placement agency will decide whether to interview the student or not. If the decision is to interview, then the student will be contacted directly to set up a time to meet.

STEP 4:
Following the interview, the Field Placement agency and/or the assigned Field Instructor will inform the student and the Field Education Coordinator if they will be accepting the student for placement. If a student is not selected for an interview or was not chosen for a placement, then their resumé is forwarded to their second choice. This process will cycle through until the student has secured a placement.

STEP 5:
Students who are offered a field placement will receive confirmation of the placement by email along with relevant field information documents.

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