Hi XXX,
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today regarding my student placement as part of my
Bachelor of Applied Social Science studies. I am in my final year of study and hope to commence my
placement in January 2015
Placement Information:
Student placements are periods of unpaid work experience in supervised organisations that provide
services where students have an opportunity to put theory into practice. Student placements are
also an excellent opportunity for students to develop networks and explore career options and
professional pathways. They also provide potential employers with an opportunity to observe a
student in the workplace for an extended period to evaluate them as a potential future employee.
A student studying a Bachelor of Applied Social Science has developed a variety of skills and can
undertake any of the following activities and many more when on placement:
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Plan, conduct, analyse and interpret research with accuracy, attention to detail and critical
thinking skills;
Communicate findings clearly and effectively in oral and written form;
Apply critical thinking and analysis to better understand self, others, groups and organisations
within society;
Analyse, critique and understand the individual, groups and organisations within society;
Apply groupwork theory and practice in a variety of contexts and settings;
Explore and critique social policy to enable students to analyse their social contexts and the
impact of their implementation on society;
Manage group dynamics and conflict resolution;
Identify institutional and cultural values and how these impact social structures, change and
social research;
Appropriate / possible duties for an Applied Social Science placement may also include:
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Observing, co facilitating or facilitating appropriate skilled assessment, information, referral
and assistance to clients
Liaising with co-workers and other service providers
Casework, case notes liaising with other services
Maintaining records and collecting client information
Participating in the development, analysis, evaluation and planning of services
Participating in the implementation of projects, programs and promotional activities in areas
relevant to the service
Conducting individual or family interviews to identify client circumstances and requirements
Assisting in the provision of services, or referring clients to other community organisations
which may be better able to provide more appropriate services
Facilitating support groups
The above list is not comprehensive but a sample of suitable activities. Should you have a specific
task that your organisation would like a student to undertake, ACAP Placement Coordinators are
happy to discuss this or any other aspect of placement with you.
Students are expected to participate in all the activities of the organisation that a staff member
would participate in e.g. fill in on reception at lunch breaks, answer the phones if the receptionist is
busy, attend all staff meetings and some administration work. However, students should be
focussed on workplace activities that allow them to practice their specific skills. No student should
be primarily focused on admin, reception or answering phones.
Project
While on placement I will also need to complete a project for my placement organisation. This will
be supervised by ACAP. Many agencies have project work that needs to be done but limited human
resources to undertake this work I would be happy to do it. Examples of potential projects are a
literature review, develop a group program based on a literature search, make a submission or
develop a policy. I would like to discuss any project work that you would like me to undertake while
on placement after you have an opportunity to discuss this with colleagues.
Dates
Should I be successful in securing a student placement with your agency, I would need to commence
in late January and remain on placement until the end of May. I am available one day a week on
Wednesdays from 9am to 5pm.
Please feel free to contact me or the Placement Team at ACAP for further details. I will call you in a
day or 2 to discuss the placement and hope to schedule an interview time to come in and meet with
you in the near future. Further information for Placement Supervisors is available on the ACAP
website Information for Organisations and Supervisors
Kind Regards,