HPS328 - Transitioning to WorkPlacement Guidelines

For StudentsTrimester 2 2016

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Dear HPS328 Student

Welcome to Transitioning to Work!! The key component of this unit, HPS328, is a work placement of a minimum of 140 hours. The aim of the placement is to provide you with experience of a workplace where you can engage in psychology related work in order to gain a realistic view of the various potential career options available to psychology graduates. The unit learning outcomes of the unit are as follows:

Students will be able to:ULO1. Integrate their experiences from their placement and discipline studies to provide oral examples of graduate learning outcomes in an interview setting.

ULO2. Critically evaluate their experiences during placement to improve on their areas for development and evaluate their career aspirations following their degree.

ULO3. Conduct themselves professionally in a workplace that directly benefits their career path within broader psychology related industries, and demonstrate competence in key employment related skills including the capacity to work both collaboratively and independently, reliably, responsibly and safely.

ULO4. Apply and integrate relevant psychological knowledge and skills within an authentic work placement.

This guide is designed to help you prepare for and find an appropriate placement and will provide a brief introduction to the requirements of the placement. More detail on the assignments required for the unit are in the Unit Information document and will be made available in the Unit Guide closer to T2.

Best Wishes

Sandra Hooper

Unit ChairHPS328 hps328@deakin.edu.au

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The Search for a Placement

What type of work should your placement offer?

It is important to understand that you will not be able to undertake work as a psychologist on placement. It may be possible for some of you to find a placement which enables you to work in a psychological practice or with a registered psychologist but this is not the intention or requirement of this placement. You are required to find a placement which gives you the opportunity to demonstrate, utilise, learn and/or develop the following skills/competencies, which are generally sought after by most employers:

Communication: verbal and written Team work Time management Problem solving Critical thinking Self-awareness Independence/Autonomy/ Initiative Reliability/Responsibility (Professionalism)

Examples of these skills and competencies can be found in Appendix B

Your supervisor will be asked to rate your capability in each of these areas throughout the placement so the work you do needs to offer opportunities to demonstrate as many of these as possible.Though every placement experience will be different, where possible, all experiences should include:

an orientation to the host organisation’s operations; an observation of work operations; participation in the workplace operations of the host organisation as negotiated with a host

supervisor; opportunities to utilise and enhance key employment related skills such as personal

communication skills (both verbal and written) in one to one, small and larger group situations; self-management, initiative and problem solving;

appropriate administrative or project work relevant to the organisation; and opportunities to utilise and apply the knowledge and skills acquired from university course work

to organisational operations and needs.

What Fields?

A psychology degree offers a wide range of placement opportunities outside of those in a “traditional” psychological setting. Psychology graduates can find employment in a wide range of career fields and as such, placements may also be found in these fields. Some of these fields include:

Community work including roles focussing on community development and support, children and families, drug and alcohol, youth, disability, domestic violence, and aged care

Coaching and Counselling including life and career coaching, and telephone counselling Policy Forensics (working in the justice system) including community corrections officers, prison

officers and conciliators Human Resources including roles focussing on recruitment, organisational development,

training and development, and occupational health and safety

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Marketing - including market research and analysis, and advertising Social Research Health and Human Services Consulting Education - including teaching and teacher’s aide

Think about the type of career field you may be interested in and research which organisations operate within that field. This will enable you to better target your approach in sourcing a placement opportunity but make sure that you target organisations that relate to your studies and career goals.

Networking

A key source for helping you find a placement will be your network. During HPS207 we covered the topic of networking; you developed a list of your network and potential network, and we discussed techniques to use in approaching your network. Use this network to help you find a placement. The research you have done about the organisations in which you would be interested in completing a placement, will help you prepare the pitch to make to your network.

You can revisit the topic through the HPS328 site.

Your professionalism is on show the moment you contact a potential supervisor or organisation about a potential placement. Remember first impressions count for a lot and you only have one chance to make a first impression. It is essential that you use a courteous and professional approach in all your dealings with contacts and organisations, and that you follow up all interactions to thank people for their time in assisting you (whether or not they were able to offer you a placement on this occasion).

Securing a Placement

When discussing a potential placement with a contact you should be aware of the details of what is involved for a person responsible for supervising your placement. These details are available in the “Placement Guidelines for Supervisors” booklet and a copy may be given to potential supervisors if they would like to read the details for themselves. You should also be able to knowledgably discuss the benefits to the organisation of you undertaking a work placement with them (see below). It is possible that a member of your network may be able to provide you with a direct placement opportunity. Alternatively you may be provided with a contact to follow up within a relevant organisation and you should ask for advice regarding the most appropriate method for making contact; by email, a phone call or by arranging a meeting.

In the unfortunate situation where no member of your network can assist you, you will need to target particular organisations yourself. You will need to determine the best person to contact regarding a work placement and make contact either by phone or email. One suggested approach is to write an email with your request to meet to discuss a possible placement and then make a follow-up phone call within two days of your email. You should attach the “Placement Guidelines for Supervisors” booklet to your email for information. If the contact is willing to discuss the possibility further, arrange to meet at their place of work for 10 to 15 minutes where you should discuss how a placement might work. You should ensure the contact understands he/she is under no obligation to go through with the placement if he/she does not believe it is feasible.

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Follow-up your meeting with a note/email thanking the contact person for taking the time to meet with you and asking them to contact you if they still have questions about the placement. Tell them you will contact them again shortly to see if they have made a decision about your placement request, and follow-up by phone as you have promised. While you may plan to contact several organisations, try to do so one at a time. At the same time, avoid long waiting times for an answer, e.g. follow-up within two days of meeting with the contact. Be ready with another organisation to contact, if the first one does not yield a result.

Please note that you can negotiate (with the Unit Chair) to carry out your placement at your current place of work if it is relevant. You will however, need to negotiate with the Unit Chair and your Placement Supervisor, a set of activities that take you beyond your normal tasks and that can be done on a voluntary basis. You will also need to nominate a Placement Supervisor who is qualified to give feedback about the activities you engage in as part of your placement. Please contact the Unit Chair if you wish to discuss this option further.

Remember – the organisation and placement you secure MUST relate to your studies and career goals.

What can you offer?

A degree in Psychology provides students with a unique blend of skills spanning scientific enquiry and analysis through to a detailed understanding of the intricacies of human behaviour. It is a great base degree which helps students develop many skill sets sought by a wide variety of employers.

Skills include:

A high level of critical thinking and problem solving ability, judgement and decision making Strong knowledge and understanding of research design methods, literature analysis and

information sourcing Well-developed capability in statistical analysis, including use of appropriate technologies such

as SPSS Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to deliver quality presentations Well-developed interpersonal skills and a high level of self-awareness Strong understanding of human behaviour and individual differences including motivation,

personality and social interaction An appreciation of mental health issues and their impact at an individual, family and societal

level Detailed understanding of diversity and cultural differences Strong understanding of the development and functioning of teams with an ability to work

collaboratively

In addition, students with a psychology degree will have gained skills in specialised topic areas which may include; child and adult developmental psychology, forensics, organisational psychology, studies of addiction, cognitive psychology, psychopathology, personality, behavioural neuroscience, and social psychology, to name just a few.

Benefits to an organisation of hosting a work placement

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Many organisations have found that hosting students on work placements can provide a number of benefits. These can include:

benefitting from the input provided by the student in terms of current psychology specific knowledge, competencies and practical skills;

gaining an extra staff member for no cost for a specified period, thereby providing opportunities to trial or develop new resources, projects or a service program;

having opportunities to assess potential employees prior to formal recruitment; and having access to fresh and objective perspectives

Placement Secured

Once you have identified a suitable placement and a willing supervisor/host organisation, please complete the Placement Proposal Form (Available on HPS328 site) and send a copy signed by you and your potential supervisor, to the HPS328 administration email hps328@deakin.edu.au with the subject line - “Placement Proposal for ___________ (your name)”. Once your proposal is approved a formal agreement between Deakin University and the host organisation will be arranged.

Please note that you cannot begin a placement until this agreement has been signed by both parties. The Placement Administrative Support Officer will contact you once the formal agreement is in place to notify you that you can begin. Also, please be aware that sometimes this can take up to two weeks depending on the response time from the host organisation.

Time Requirements on Placement

The placement component of this unit requires that you complete a minimum of 140 hours of relevant, voluntary work. This can be covered in any configuration either before or during trimester 2 (which commences 11th July 2016) and should take into account your requirement to manage any existing work/study commitments as well the needs of your placement supervisor and the host organisation.

You must submit your placement proposal by 15 th July 2016 (end of week 1, T2) at the latest or you will be withdrawn from the unit.

You must have completed the 140 hours of placement by 30th September 2016 (end of week 11, T2) at the very latest, to ensure all necessary assessments and supervisor reports can be submitted in line with marking requirements.

You are required to log the hours taken up in placement time (See Log Book Template in Appendix A; also available on HPS328 site). This should include any related project hours which you may have formally negotiated with your supervisor, to complete off-site. You and your supervisor are required to sign off on these entries.

Costs

Please note that there is NO obligation on the host organisation to pay you any allowance, or to reimburse your accommodation or travel expenses incurred during your placement. You are responsible for all costs and for ensuring that you have sufficient funds to cover your placement.

Placement Supervisor

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Your Placement Supervisor is responsible for providing you with opportunities to engage with the workplace at an appropriate level. We ask that your Placement Supervisor has a minimum of two years’ experience in the organisation and/or the role associated with your placement so that he/she is able to provide you with appropriate guidance. We also ask your Placement Supervisor to provide written feedback on your participation and performance during the placement (see Appendix C; Form available on HPS328 site).

While on placement your Placement Supervisor is asked to act in the role of a Supervisor to you. This relationship enables you to learn about the organization and to discuss aspects of your own skill development and career. We encourage the Placement Supervisor to meet with you for one hour every five days of practice as a form of formal supervision. This time can include a review of the progress you are making towards the goals set out in the Placement Proposal and should ideally take place in uninterrupted space and time.

Informal supervision activities will take place between these formal meetings. Often the best time for learning is immediately after an event. So whenever possible, we will ask that Placement Supervisors attempt to address any issues that arise immediately as a form of debriefing (in addition to the formal supervision outlined above). Placement Supervisors are also asked to encourage student reflections of their placement experiences.

If the Placement Supervisor has any concerns about you and the progress you are making, he/she is asked to contact the Unit Chair or appointed Deakin representative.

Conduct on Placement

While on placement, you are expected to follow the placement organisation’s standards of behaviour; you will need to clarify what these consist of with your Placement Supervisor. Things to consider include punctuality, dress, and organisational responsibilities. You are expected to conduct yourself in an appropriately professional manner at all times. Your Placement Supervisor will be encouraged to involve you as a member of the organisation as much as possible. See a summary of the rights and responsibilities of the Placement Supervisor, Deakin Unit Chair and Student in Appendix D.

You should also ensure that you are familiar with all Occupational Health and Safety policies, guidelines and requirements.

Attendance & Absences

You are expected to be in attendance at the organisation for the full number of negotiated hours per week, as set out in your Placement Proposal Form. You must make sure that your Placement Supervisor or other nominated staff member knows where you are going if you leave the organisation’s premises during set working hours.

In the case of illness or personal or family emergency, if you need to be absent from the placement, you must promptly notify your Placement Supervisor. If you do miss placement hours due to illness or other personal circumstances you must arrange to make up the time with your Placement Supervisor. If this requires you continuing beyond the originally agreed end date of your contract you must advise the Unit Chair so that an extension to the contract can be arranged and your insurance coverage can continue.

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Confidentiality

You must respect the confidentiality of all information made available to you about the people, activities or any other aspect of the organisation’s business. In particular, any information related to users of the organisation’s services must be presumed confidential unless stated otherwise. You should never discuss clients using identifying information at home, on Cloud Deakin or in the classroom. We would also like to remind you of the very public nature of social media forums such as Facebook, Twitter etc. and suggest you do not make comments about your placement using these forums.

You should discuss with your Placement Supervisor how material can be presented for the purposes of assessment while preserving confidentiality. Consent to release information may be needed from the service user, not just appropriate organisation staff – if in doubt, ask your Placement Supervisor.

Encountering a Problem during Placement

If at any time during your placement you feel that you are in any sort of danger or being subjected to inappropriate behaviour, you should remove yourself immediately from the organisation and contact the Unit Chair.

For any other issues, you can use your placement as an opportunity to practice dealing with issues that might arise in the course of a normal working relationship. Addressing issues that are of concern to you can be difficult but doing so in this placement environment may give you confidence to deal with such issues when you meet them in the course of your future employment.

Please remember that there will always be a certain degree of boring, mundane work in all work places and associated with all jobs. Within reason this is a standard part of being employed and is not considered a sufficient reason for you to abandon your placement without dealing with the issue.

You should raise any issues you have as soon as possible with your supervisor. When doing so, try and present some possible solutions to the problem so that you can be part of the solution and demonstrate your willingness to make the placement work.

If the issue is related to being given irrelevant tasks to perform e.g. making tea/coffee, doing photocopying/filing for extended periods, then you should refer your supervisor back to the Placement Proposal that outlines the agreed work you were to undertake during your placement. It is perfectly reasonable for you to ask your supervisor if that work is still available and that if it is not then you may need to seek an alternate placement so that you can fulfil the requirements of your placement unit. Make sure you are well prepared when you approach your supervisor with details about the work you have done to date and examples of the work you believe you are capable of, based on your original agreement.

If you are being asked to complete work that is too difficult or you do not believe you are being sufficiently guided or trained, you should explain to your supervisor what help you need to meet the requirements of the work to the organisation’s satisfaction. This may include additional training, regular feedback or regular supervision meetings.

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If you have addressed the issue and believe there is no noticeable improvement then you should contact the Unit Chair to discuss the best course of action. Remember that placements are designed to be mutually beneficial to you and the host organisation.

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Appendix A: Log Book Template (example only)

Student Name: Date:

Starting time: Finishing Time: Total Hours:

Task Time spent on task

Brief Reflection: (Key Learnings/ Competencies Used or Developed/Personal and Professional Responses/ Critical Incidents)

Placement Supervisor Signature: …………………………………………………………..

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Appendix B: Examples of Placement Competency/Skill Areas

Examples of what constitutes each of the eight competencies/skills are listed below:

Communication/Interpersonal interaction: Using appropriate language and tone in verbal and written communications Using most appropriate/relevant style and medium of communication for particular situations Being able to communicate ideas clearly and comprehensively in both verbal and written form Providing clear and concise written reports/summaries of activities/actions

Team work: Contributing to discussion in team meetings Working with others in a positive and collaborative manner Reliably undertaking work allocated by the team Offering assistance to others when it is needed

Planning and organising: Prioritising work tasks appropriately Completion of tasks by required deadlines or within specified timeframes Being able to create a realistic and achievable action plan for a piece of work Being on time for work, meetings, events, and other commitments

Problem solving: Identification of problem and breaking down into smaller more manageable pieces Ability to create realistic solutions to problems Generating multiple approaches to solving complex problems Displaying innovation and controlled risk taking in considering solutions

Critical thinking: Ability to evaluate data or information analytically and objectively Using judgment to determine the relevant importance of various factors in a complex problem Making informed decisions by analysing and reflecting on new knowledge Displaying open-mindedness

Self-awareness: Displays insight into how his/her actions can impact others Ability to articulate capabilities and apply them to work Seeking assistance in areas of less capability Ability to identify areas for growth and reflect on ways to improve

Independence/Autonomy/ Initiative Ability to undertake work without constant supervision Making recommendations for improvements to processes Initiating discussion about work requirements rather than waiting for someone to ask/advise

Reliability/Responsibility (Professionalism) Attending for work (and other commitments) on time and at agreed hours Doing what he/she says he/she will do Presenting in a professional manner at all times Taking responsibility for actions or, outcomes which eventuate due to his/her actions

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Appendix C: Placement Supervisor Feedback (example report only)

Student Name:_________________________________________________________________________

Specific Competencies (as defined in Appendix)

Rating

Communication/Interpersonal interaction

Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

Team Work Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

Planning and Organising Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

Problem Solving Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

Critical Thinking Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

Self-awareness Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

IndependenceAutonomy/Initiative

Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

Reliability/Responsibility (Professionalism)

Very Poor Poor Satisfactory Good Very Good Not applicable

Comments

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General Work and Personal Characteristics

Characteristic Score Comments

Very

Poo

r

Poor

Satis

fact

ory

Good

Very

Goo

d

Motivation/Attitude

Ethical considerations

Punctuality

Openness to feedback

General presentation

Please outline what you see as the student’s strengths and development areas -:

Strengths Development Areas – where could he/she develop to improve his/her level of employability

Please feel free to add any further comments below:

Signatures confirming the joint completion and acceptance of the Placement Feedback Report:

Student Name & Signature: ___________________________________________________

Placement Supervisor Name & Signature: ___________________________________________________

Date:____/____/____

Placement Supervisors: Once this form has been completed and signed by you and the student, could you please provide a scanned or .pdf version to the student so that he/she can submit this report for his/her assessment.

Thank you for your time and effort in supporting this placement.

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Appendix D: Rights and Responsibilities

The Placement Supervisor The Deakin Unit Chair The Student

Help the student orientate him/ herself within the organisation (e.g., organising an induction, a working space, providing information about the organisation and its functions, facilitating introductions to other staff, etc.)

As much as possible, treat the student like an ‘employee’ during their placement

Provide reasonable access (subject to consent from the organisational staff concerned) to information or facilities that are necessary for the placement

Make available relevant policies, rules, procedures, manuals etc.

Help select suitable people to assist/work with the student

Supervise and facilitate any activities assigned to the students

Ensure regular supervision meetings and discussions take place- we recommend one hour of formal supervision per five days of placement.

Provide necessary feedback, coaching or moral support in between formal supervision times.

Update the Deakin Unit Chair if you have any concerns around student progress (via telephone or email) as needed.

Complete a final feedback review at the completion of the placement.

Meet and establish with the organisation the necessary groundwork to enable the student to begin his/her placement at the organisation (including the contract for indemnity and other insurances.)

Liaise between student and Placement Supervisor on any matter that may affect a comfortable, smooth and productive working relationship between the student and members of the organisation

Provide advice, guidance and moral support to the student (as requested) while on work placements

Assist the organisation towards a clear understanding of its position and role in the work placement initiative

Be available for contact from the Placement Supervisor to remain updated on student progress and provide any additional support that may be required

Organise the completion of a final feedback review from the Placement Supervisor at the completion of the placement.

Comply with rules and regulations as well as directions of the staff of the organisation

Be familiar with the ethical issues of work practices within the organisation

Be familiar with the professional and administrative procedures of the organisation including emergency procedures

Orientate oneself with the organisation and staff and engage in activities of professional life

Establish with the organisation mutually agreed attendance times, and renegotiate in advance if these times need to change

Maintain a professional and up to date log book for review by the Deakin Unit Chair.

Consult with Placement Supervisor on matters that are unclear or that may affect a good working relationship within the organisation

Treat the placement organisation and role like a real job

Maintain confidentiality at all times

Fulfil all of the assessment requirements including maintaining a logbook to the standards specified by Deakin

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