PRACTICUM SITE ORIENTATIONS
There is good research showing that a very favorable impact is made on the practicum experience
when a field instructor makes preparations in advance of the student’s arrival and when there is a
thorough site orientation immediately after the student arrives. These two components make for a
solid start and continue influencing everything that follows in a positive way. Now, as we are called
by the Council on Social Work Education to connect the broad map of social work with the territory
of the practice situation, the practicum site orientation becomes a vital educational experience in
and of itself.
The question now becomes – how can the elements of a good site orientation become incorporated
into instruction and supervision? On a practical level, the site orientation can make use of many
different people at a practicum site; cover a lot of education contract development ground; and
assist with a strategy for developing contract work plans. Over time, with a series of student
placements, field instructors can develop a strategy to incorporate more and more orientation
elements into instruction and supervision. As with the development of the field practicum contract,
the orientation isn’t just something that happens before the practicum begins. It is how the learning
begins.
What follows is a checklist of information and experiences that might possibly be included in a site
orientation plan.
Micro Level of Orientation
A. Orientation Plan - General
 Plan before your student arrives (check physical space, desk, phone, supplies, etc.)
 Over time, develop an orientation packet including important site information, procedures,
selected readings, etc. to give to students
 Is there a formal site orientation schedule? What does it emphasize?
 If there is not an orientation, how do new employees and volunteers learn about the site?
 Remember to ask students to read the employee handbook (much will apply to them)
 Before you start with the details, don’t forget to paint the “big picture,” with special emphasis
on the meaning and value of the social work presence at the site, i.e. how this presence
changes things
B. Where is everything?
 Tour of agency / physical environment
 Student’s desk, phone, files, etc.
 Copy machine
 Lunch/break room (who eats with whom and are students welcome?)
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C. Introductions
 Think about this in advance: how are students perceived at the site
 Conduct a tour
 Introduce student to important staff members (this could be linked with a tour, see below)
o Administrative support
o Other social workers
o Director of the social service aspect of the facility
o Key personnel having contact with social workers
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Schedule a series of brief presentations or meetings regarding roles of important staff
Communicate to others the presence, role and purpose of your student
Set up interviews with and/or shadowing of key staff allowing students to observe them in their
roles
Emphasize that your student is not there for job training but to learn to integrate and apply
social work knowledge, values and skills, and to have a place to reflect upon this learning. This
will help those who offer their time to students to understand that while the student will learn
through the vehicle of one of more professional’s jobs, the instructor’s and student’s goals are
different. This will help site staff to better orient the student to the observing and shadowing
situation.
How will learning opportunities with site staff be arranged throughout the practicum?
Develop a schedule of site meetings and educational venues
Discuss appropriate student role(s) at site meetings
Are stipends available?
D. Basic Policies, Procedures and Information
 Agency dress code
 Parking
 Hours of attendance, overtime expectations, holidays, illness and flexibility of hours
 Policies regarding transportation of clients
 Emergency contact information
E. Safety
 Talk to your student about any safety precautions applicable to your agency or the surrounding
area.
 Many students beginning their placements have concerns about conducting home visits. This is
a good opportunity for students to learn about specific safety policies and practices.
 When students are making home visits as part of their practicum, the Zarrow School requires
the practicum site to provide home visit training and staff backup to the student.
 If your agency has a security officer, arrange for the student to meet with him or her to learn
about agency protocol, warning signs, prevention, and other questions.
 Use of personal car
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F. Resources
 For clients/consumers/constituents
 For students
 Bibliography of important books and articles
 Internet availability
 Library journal access
 Audio-Video equipment
 Mileage reimbursement
 Reimbursement procedures for expenses
 Cellular phones
 Who to ask about What
Mezzo Level of Orientation
G. Purpose, Function, and Organizational Structure of the Agency
 Philosophy & Mission
 Governance
 Policies
 Sources of funding and revenue
H. Who’s Who in the Organization
 Organizational charts
 Job / role descriptions
 The role(s) of social workers in the big picture
 Decision making process, formal & informal
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Clients/Constituents/Service Population
 Who they are
 What are service eligibility requirements
 What types of services are provided
 What services are not provided
 How they get connected
 What is the process for intake-termination
 Costs for services
 Service outcomes / evaluation
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Professional Communication
J.
Student Identification
 Discuss with students how they will identify themselves to clients and on written documents
 Undergraduate students should not identify themselves as social workers
 Graduate students with undergraduate social work degrees can identify themselves as social
workers in graduate training
 Discuss when and how students should introduce themselves as a “student”
 Develop a title with your student that accurately reflects the student’s role
 It should always be made clear that your student is not an employee of the agency, but is
practicing under the supervision of a social worker
K. Information Flow
 Telephone
 Computer use/access/resource person
 Routing material
 Mail (in & out)
 Inbox
 Messages
 Meetings required
L. Agency Terminology
 Provide your student with a glossary of agency abbreviations or terminology, particularly as they
start to read agency files and reports.
 Clarify exact definitions and use of critical terms like “stat” and “Code Red”, as well as how to
respond to priority communications.
M. How to Document
 When and where
 Electronic records access
 Confidentiality in documentation
 Risk management issues
 How to keep statistics (statistical records)
 What forms are required
N. Confidentiality
 Interviewing location
 Consent for release of information
 Confidential and privileged information
 Legal requirements to report; other legal parameters
 Provide specific information for your student about confidentiality and potential disclosures of
confidential information. If in a clinical setting, HIPPA regulations should be described.
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Most students understand general guidelines about confidentiality, but many will still have
questions about specific situations.
Do not assume that a student knows how to manage conflicts about confidentiality, especially
when pressed by authorities to divulge information. Be sure the student knows to ask you
about any concerns or questions regarding confidentiality as they arise.
Provide specific examples of situations that could involve confidentiality issues and guidelines
for managing these events
O. Professional Behavior
 Expectations of professional behavior; boundaries; what is acceptable and what isn’t
 Let students know what they do and do not have to put up with from clients
Macro Level of Orientation
P. The Community (within which the practicum setting functions)
 Map of the neighborhood / community
 Characteristics of the neighborhood / community
 History of the neighborhood / community
 Strengths and resources of the neighborhood / community
 Major issues affecting clients/ service population
 Aspects of diversity in the neighborhood / community
 Leadership in the neighborhood / community
Q. Social Service System
 List of area agencies and organizations
 Funding for agencies
 Visits to area agencies and organizations
 Key referral resources
 How your agency fits in with similar agencies elsewhere
 How your agency coordinates / partners with other types of agencies
 History/perceptions/strengths/limitations of agency in community
 Coordinating/networking bodies in the community
R. Social Policy
 Government (local. State, federal) mandates or sanctions
Relevant legislation mandating and regulating practice
 Who’s who in regulatory bodies
 Regulatory processes , requirements, accreditation standards
 Legislation affecting clients/agency
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S. Policies and procedures related to social work activities
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Provide your student with information on how to locate and make referrals to community
partners and resources.
Students can be given an orientation assignment of developing a resource packet to assist them
and future students throughout the placement.
Etc, Etc,
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See attribution below
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ii
This list of site orientation ideas was adapted from:
Cochrane, S. & Hanley, M. M. (1998). Learning through Field: A Developmental Approach. Needham
Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon
Dettlaff, Alan J. (2003). From Mission to Evaluation: A Field Instructor Training Manual (CSWE:
Alexandria, VA).
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