FIELD MANUAL

• Must provide a minimum of one hour of face-to-face supervision and instruction per week. 
• Must identify learning tasks for the student which will facilitate the opportunity for application and integration of Social Work knowledge, values, and skills. 
• Provide required written and oral assessments and evaluations of student progress. 
• Recommend a grade for the Field Practicum course. 
• Communicate to the Field Director in a timely manner any student performance issues related to educational, physical, or psychological difficulties which might arise in order to allow time for corrective advising and action to be taken.
• Prospective Field Instructors meet with the Field Director, who determines whether the individual is eligible to serve as a Field Instructor. All eligible Field Instructors receive education pertaining to Field Instruction in the Social Work Program. 

• Provide specific educational support for the learning of knowledge and skills applicable to the practice setting of the Field Agency. 
• Function in a supportive role to that of the Field Instructor. 
• Provide input toward written and oral assessments and evaluations of student progress in the development of those specific knowledge and skills. 
• Be educated on being a Task Supervisor for the Social Work Program.
• A Task Supervisor does not have to have a social work degree, but must have expertise in a certain area, due to the rural environment setting of Chadron State College, in which some agencies might not have a social worker on staff. 
• Prospective Task Supervisors meet with the Field Director to discuss their possible role as the Task Supervisor. All eligible Task Supervisors receive education provided by the Social Work Program. 

1. The Agency provides a sanctioned human service.
2. The Agency can provide an opportunity for students to gain generalist social work practice experience in working with client systems of all sizes: individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities. Students can be allowed an increasing degree of autonomy in working with clients as the practicum progresses.
3. The agency is willing to assist the student, as an aspect of the task specific Learning Contract, in developing a research and intervention opportunity in policy either for the organization, the community, and specific populations served, or at the state or national level.
4. The agency provides an opportunity for students to utilize the network of human services and resources available in the community in meeting clients' needs. 
5. The agency is willing and able to provide resources to students including release time for student supervision and evaluation by Task Supervisors and Field Instructors, workspace, and other resources necessary for students to perform as professionals.
6. The agency is willing and able to provide Field Instructors who have Council on Social Work Education accredited BSW or MSW degrees plus 2 years of experience. If there is no BSW or MSW available at the agency, the Social Work Field Director will arrange for students to have one hour a week of supervision with a BSW or MSW.
7. The administration of the agency is supportive of students completing a practicum experience in their agency and is willing to support the Field Instructor and/or Task Supervisor by providing time for them to engage in supervision, consultation, and evaluation of student interns. 
8. The agency will respect that students must adhere to Social Work values and ethics. 
9. The agency is willing to follow procedures outlined in the Social Work Field Manual.
10. The agency is willing to complete an approved Agency Agreement between the Agency and Chadron State College.
11. The Agency adheres to the provisions of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Titles I and V of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, the agency will accept students without regard for age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. 

1. The Social Work Program requires Field Instructors have 2 years of experience and be BSW or MSW graduate from a CSWE accredited Social Work Program. 
2. Field Instructors must be willing to provide the necessary time to supervise students and ensure an educational focus to their learning in practicum, including no less than one hour of face-to-face supervision with the student per week (bi-weekly for students in half-time placements).
3. Field Instructors will adheere to Field Instruction Orientation provided by the Social Work Program at Chadron State College.
4. Field Instructors are willing to assist students in developing task specific learning contracts, in completing evaluations of student performances, and serve as role models and mentors to their students as future colleagues.
5. Field Instructors will assure that in the case a student is employed in the Agency where he/she is in Field placement, that the student is working with
   1. a different supervisor and,
   2. a different population, or
   3. a different mode of service provision and that the student's time for practicum is protected.
6. The field instructor agrees that he/she will work with students in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws. In particular, the Field Instructor agrees that he/she will work with social work students regardless of age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.

1. Task Supervisors must be employed by a sanctioned human service agency.
2. Task Supervisors do not necessarily need to have a social work degree; however, they should have expertise in that specific area. 
3. Task supervisors will collaborate with BSW and MSW Field Instructors and Social Work Program Faculty to plan task-specific Learning Contract Goals, knowledge, and skill acquisition to perform student evaluations. 
4. The Task Supervisor must provide opportunities for students to gain generalist social work practice experience with an increasing level of autonomy as the practicum progresses.
5. The Task Supervisor must be willing to immediately alert the Field Director and Field Instructor of any problems in student performance, attendance, boundaries or confidentiality concerns. 
6. The Task supervisor must be willing and able to facilitate student learning, serve as a role model in professional ethics, and be willing to follow procedures outlined in the Social Work Field Manual.
7. The Task Supervisor agrees that he/she will work with students in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws. In particular, the Task Supervisor agrees that he/she will work with social work students regardless of age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. 

1. Practice within the values and ethics of the Social Work Profession as outlined in the NASW Code of Ethics.
2. Take responsibility for the designation of learning needs and goals, development of learning contract, following through on field assignments, and participating in the supervisory process with the field instructor, task supervisors, and field practicum director.
3. Respond constructively to evaluations of performance and suggestions for improvement.
4. Notify the agency in the event of unavoidable absences, allowing time for the arrangement of necessary coverage where possible.
5. Arrange to make up for excused absences.
6. Attend and participate in Professional Seminar, demonstrating collegial support and cooperation by adequate preparation in the presentation of cases, research, and peer feedback.
7. Adhere to the policies of the agency, the Social Work Program, and Chadron State College.
8. Complete the required clock hours in accordance with the semester calendar of the college. 

The Learning Contract is located in Appendix G of the Social Work Field Manual. In this section, activities, strategies, and tasks are identified that will allow students to demonstrate progress toward the goals for each competency. This section also shows how the progress towards the completion of the goals will be assessed. There are nine core competencies. 

NINE CORE COMPETENCIES:

Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

Social workers understand the value base of the profession and its ethical standards, as well as relevant laws and regulations that may impact practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. 

Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice

Social workers understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. 

Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice

Social workers understand that every person regardless of position in society has fundamental human rights such as freedom, safety, privacy, and adequate standard of living, health care, and education.

Competency 4: Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice

Social workers understand quantitative and qualitative research methods and their respective roles in advancing a science of social work and in evaluating their practice.

Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice

Social workers understand that human rights and social justice, as well as social welfare and services, are mediated by policy and its implementation at the federal, state, and local levels. 

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that engagement is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that assessment is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. 

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that intervention is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. 

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

Social workers understand that evaluation is an ongoing component of the dynamic and interactive process of social work practice with, and on behalf of, diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. 

Appendix H in the Field Manual is the Evaluation of Student Performance in Practicum. This is completed at midterm and at the end of the practicum, and this evaluation assesses a student's knowledge and skills pertaining to specific practice behaviors. This section has a description of the students' learning activities and assignments in progress, as well as the recommended grade, documented hours, and whether or not the students agree with the evaluations; if they do not agree, the student attaches an additional sheet explaining why they do not agree with the evaluation, and it will be reviewed by the Field Director and Field Instructor. The students are given an evaluation based on how well they have met the goals pertaining to the nine core competencies as well as how well they have responded to supervision in the agency. There is also the evaluation of the students in the Field Seminar class that is completed by the Professional Seminar Instructor. 

GRADING SCALE

Students are given the following grades:

• 1=Failing Level
• 2=Below Expected Level
• 3=At Expected Level
• 4=Above Expected Level
• 5=Outstanding Level
• IE=Insufficient Evidence (midterm only)
• AP=Activity Planned (midterm only)

The NASW Code of Ethics is located in Appendix M of the Field Manual. The Code of Ethics was published by the National Association of Social Workers in 1996 at the NASW Delegate Assembly. It includes ethical guidelines for social workers. 

The NASW Code of Ethics is used to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conduct of social workers, and it has 4 main sections:

1. Preamble
   • Summarizes the social work profession's mission and values.
2. Purpose of the NASW Code of Ethics
   • Provides a look over the Code's main functions and a short guide on how to deal with ethical issues or dilemmas in the social work practice.
3. Ethical Principles
   • Includes broad ethical principles that are based off of the social work core values, all of which inform social work practice.
4. Ethical Standards
   • Includes more specific ethical standards that guide a social workers' conduct; they also provide a basis for judgement. 

All practicum students are required to do a research project on behalf of the agency where they are doing their internship. This research assignment is decided upon and designed primarily by the agency Field Instructor after collaboration with the student and the Field Director. This research project is considered a goal in the Learning Contract and not a senior seminar assignment. This research project is due to the practicum agency and/or the Field Instructor by the second week in April.

All practicum students are also required to do a policy analysis under the direction of the Field Instructor. However, if the Field Instructor chooses, he or she may modify the assignment to suit the needs of the agency. For example, under the direction of the Field Instructor, the student can be allowed to create agency policy. Another possibility, for example, the Field Instructor can assign the student research regarding policies--state and/or federal--that may affect the overall operation of the agency. This policy assignment is considered a goal in the Learning Contract and is due by the second week in April to the agency and/or the Field Instructor.