A thorough agency orientation is a critical element for a successful practicum.
Plan before your student's first day of practicum:
Prepare a physical place for your student to work
Let other staff know when the student will be arriving, their role, and purpose
Have any required agency paperwork ready for the student or arrange for them to meet with HR
Provide a tour of agency, make introductions to other staff, show them the best place to park, where to eat their lunch, where the bathrooms are, etc.
Develop an orientation packet for student interns:
This can include agency policies and procedures and could be very similar to a new employee handbook
Include selected readings that may be helpful to familiarize the student to the client population they will be serving
Other areas to review:
Agency dress code
Intern schedule
Staff meetings
Emergency contacts
Description of agency services, clients served, role of social worker in the agency
Organizational structure of agency - provide an org chart if your agency has one
What title will the student use, how will they sign documentation, name badge
Confidentiality - be sure the student understands the agency's regulations
Safety issues - precautions to take, how the agency will keep track of the student's location
Agency jargon/acronyms - help student begin to learn the agency's language
Educate the student regarding the referral process and community resources
Supervision - when will it occur each week, where, purpose, etc.
Remember the 5 "W"s:
What is the purpose of the learning activity?
Where does a student need to go in order to participate in the activity?
Who should the student contact about the learning activity?
When does the student need to be at the activity?
Why is the student participating in the activity? Make sure they understand the relevance of the activity to their learning.