Social Work Practicum I

Social Work Practice I typically occurs during the winter semester of the student’s first year.

Social Work Practicum I provides students with an opportunity to experience direct practice with individuals, groups, or communities. Practicum is intended to expose students to the complexity of practice issues related to work in human services and to view social issues from a social work perspective. During this first practicum experience, students are expected to integrate learning from their first-year courses with a focus on the application of social work skills, values, and ethics. Students are challenged to examine how their social location influences their assessments of client situations and their work with clients or client groups. Students are expected to demonstrate a beginning understanding of social work as a distinct profession. Practicum seminars will be delivered using a blended delivery format, including both in-person and online meetings. Accreditation standards require that students are supervised by a Registered Social Worker resulting in tutorials that may be scheduled outside of regular class time.

This first practicum is a 6 credit hour course and a part of the core curriculum for the Diploma in Social Work. Offering a unique and exciting opportunity for emerging social workers to engage in Social Work practice, this course is designed to introduce you to a wide array of practice areas.

Practicum I provides you with an opportunity to experience direct Social Work practice with individuals, groups, or communities. It is intended to expose you to the complexity of practice issues related to working in human services. During this first practicum experience, you are expected to integrate the learning obtained in the Introduction to Social Work Practice course with an intentional focus on the underlying assumptions and oppressive social structures. As well, you are challenged to examine how your own social location influences your assessments of client situations and your work in the agency.

In accordance with the competencies outlined in the ACSW Standards of Practice the purpose of Practicum I is to gain knowledge and understanding of:

• Social Work as a distinct profession
• Social institutions, organizations, and implications of social policy
• How to work with individual clients, groups, or communities
• Social Work theory
• Professional ethics
• Social location
• The skills related to cultural competence
• How to develop basic skills in professionalism
• The application of the basic Social Work skills, values and ethics to practice
• A framework for understanding the contextual issues that inhibit individual functioning
  

Social Work standards of practice

The following Standards of Practice provide minimum standards which all social workers practicing in Alberta are expected to meet. These standards form part of the regulatory framework for the profession and are developed and revised in accordance with section 133 of the Health Professions Act.

A complete copy of the Standards of Practice are available
https://acsw.in1touch.org/document/2672/DOC_FINALACSWStandardsOfPractice_V1_1_20200304.pdf

You will complete assignments and readings as per the course outline.
There are four components for both Practicum I and II. You must complete each of these components in order to fulfill the requirements for the course.
Students will be deducted 5% if missing 3 hours.