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Index: L1 / School Social Work/ Children and Young People / Learning Contract / 70144153

Keywords: School social work / adolescent clients / group work with young people

Learning Contract

Abstract: This is the final version of the learning contract prepared by a first placement student. The student is place in a secondary school setting. The student has broadly stated two main areas for her fieldwork learning, namely, acquiring basic knowledge of the youth target group and group work practice. The fieldwork instructor’s comment/feedback (in italic) to the student’s learning contract has been included in this documentation. It provides additional points for the student’s to consider when preparing the learning contract and in approaching her learning from fieldwork.

Section I: Basic knowledge about the youth target group

1. Learning objectives:

Understanding the following aspects at a conceptual level:

• the role and duty of the school social worker
• the behavior, thinking, personality and characteristics of the youth
• the special needs of the students from different forms as a result of their physical and psychological conditions
• the existing service provisions for the youth

2. Activities to be done:

• finding information and statistical data on the youth counseling services
• finding books, references and journals on the school setting
• visiting relevant service agencies and schools
• to use classroom learning and knowledge to the fieldwork placement

3. Help needed from the fieldwork instructor:

• provide direction for holding a group and mass program
• provide some previous proposal and reports for reference
• provide background information about students

Section II: Groupwork - The knowledge of designing and implementing a group for the youth in the school

1. Learning objectives:

• To try to apply social work theories, methods and skills in a multi-service centre setting
• To learn how to run a group with eight sessions and handle the overall group work planning, implementation, evaluation, and termination process in this setting
• To try to cooperate with teachers to organize a mass program

2. Activities to be done:

• reviewing social group work theories and methods
• assessing the special needs and interests of the different forms’ students in the school
• discussing resources and desired topics with the teachers in order to set out the possible topics for the group and mass programs
• doing library research on the potential topics
• getting suggestion and approval from the school and supervisor in my work
• designing the mass program, group session plans and proposal writing
• holding the group and mass program
• to try to cooperate with teachers
• evaluating the effectiveness of the group

3. Help needed from the fieldwork instructor:

• discuss and comment on the group work and mass program topics
• provide a framework for and comment on the group and program design
• supply past proposals as reference
• provide information on school setting
• help with introduction to other teachers
• provide background information about the students who are referred

Instructor’s comment/feedback:

1. You haven't included casework/counselling activities. Don't overlook this. Casework/counselling is still a dominant feature in the school social work profile.
2. I am glad that you would consider understanding school social work a central aspect of your field learning experience. I do expect an exposition on this, drawing on your field experience, in the final evaluation exercise toward the end of the placement. Note however that this will be local knowledge - one that applies to this particular school. Another point - connect school social work with other service provisions for young people - as you noted in the contract.
3. I also encourage persistent effort in consulting literature and connecting what you read with your field experience - either in planning your work or in making sense of your practice experience.
4. You need to be more specific about what "classroom learning and knowledge" that would be relevant to your practice. In the absence of deliberate attempt, it is quite unlikely that you would be able to make the connection in practice.
5. I don't understand why you referred to your practice setting as a "multi-service centre setting". Does it suggest a particular view of school social work?
6. Please document and reflect on your experience in working with teachers - not only in mass programme but also in helping the students they referred to you for service. Situate your experience in the context of inter-professional work.
7. Please note the concept of "need" is not something with objective presence. It is how you look at it and what shapes the way you look.
8. I am not sure what is your view of field learning. How do you expect yourself to learn in the present arrangement of fieldwork instruction?

Written and revised by: 70144153(student)

Instructor: W M Kwong

Copy Edited by: Phyllis Chee

Commented by: W M Kwong & Phyllis Chee

Copyright ©2001 by City University of Hong Kong. All right reserved.

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