Social Work Practicum: Cultivating Skills and Professional Identity
The concept of social work practicum for BSW and MSW and its usefulness to the student. Students usually get to practice many approaches in social work. They get a chance to work with individuals, groups, community, and get some awareness of social administration, social policy, and social action.
Along with the knowledge, students need to be aware of the skills, values, and ethical guidelines that are required for the practice of social work. It is very useful to learn about the social practices and values of the community within which field practice happens.
Navigating Challenges and Professional Development in Social work Practicum
We know well that a student considering field work placement should accept personal strength, weaknesses, and emotions that could help or impede field work. It is important to acknowledge what one expects of the field placement, supervisor, and what one expects to learn.
It is necessary to say here that in preparing to be a professional social worker, the decision to become a professional social worker, which is the first step to establish a professional identity and get affiliated to the professional group, is a long process.
Social Work Practicum is an important phase in this process. It is not an end, as social workers keep growing and changing as skills are honed and knowledge gets wider. Social Work practicum helps the students identify with the profession and establish personal and professional boundaries. Fieldwork is an opportunity to adjust to transitions, a variety of roles, and stress.
It is important to say that in the United States of America, social workers are second only to police officers in that they are at risk of having work-related violence directed toward them. Students may confront sexual harassment, which may be verbal or nonverbal, ranging from sexual jokes to sexual intercourse. It can include asking for unwanted dates, unwanted touching, pressure for sexual activity, comments about body, sexual boasting, sexist, and homophobic comments.
It is necessary to say that supervision is a form of teaching by a seasoned social work practitioner who imparts training and education with some level of authority. The mentoring relationship would include advising, consulting, understanding, and helping. It is different from job supervision because practicum supervision involves a teacher-learner relationship and not to oversee if the job is performed well.
Organizational Expectations and Social work Practicum Termination
It is wise to state here that expectations differ from one organization to another. A student also comes in with expectations of the organization. The student works within the organization’s values, objectives, philosophies, and resources. Knowledge of the organization is important to offer the best possible service to clients and for work with staff and other agencies.
We may say here that to prepare for termination at the end of the Social Work practicum period, the student gets ready to close cases and projects. This closure is important for the student to come to terms with the end of practicum and focus on knowledge, skills, and values gained during practicum, and note areas of learning for the future.
An evaluation of what the student has learned is useful to reinforce the gains. It may be a good time to note what the student has contributed to the agency. It is important to end relationships with staff, co-workers, and field instructors.