Module SOCI3511: SASS Community Placement

Department: Applied Social Sciences

SOCI3511: SASS Community Placement

Prerequisites

• • All students must provide evidence of a successful DBS check before they are permitted onto the module.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The module is aimed at enabling students to develop as effective, independent and critical professionals within a vocationally relevant sociological context.
• This third year module aims to complement students’ academic studies by providing a vocational insight through practical experience in a sociological context. It also aims to provide an insight into the administration, management and working structure of the placement agency, whilst forging positive partnerships between the University and external professional organisations. It is an optional module for students on the BA Sociology programme. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon, and critically analyse their experiences of being on placement, and use the lessons learnt to contextualise their academic studies, relate theory to practice, and inform both their studies and future career path.
• The placement can be complimentary to the Level 3 Dissertation giving students an opportunity to locate in an agency related to their particular interests and focus of their research.

Content

• This module will focus on:
• Providing students with a placement-experience within an approved community setting, learning from direct experience and observation; working in a practical context; organising, planning, and delivering an aspect of the organisations operational and community engagement activities, services and events; analysing and reviewing the effectiveness of operational and engagement methods; critically self-reflecting upon roles and responsibilities; the identification of personal and professional skill development; the attainment of competencies and development of knowledge and understanding. Community setting in this context refers to a statutory or voluntary sector organisation responding to a particular issue, policy agenda, community of identity, interest or geographic community.
• Brief overview of lecture & workshop content:
• Community engagement agencies and partners (exploring placement opportunities with partner organisations across Community and Youth Work, Centre for Social Justice and Community Action, Student Volunteering, Student Community Action, Experience Durham and the colleges);
• Placement preparation and application; understanding expectations of the host agency;
• Clarity of role and responsibilities during the placement;
• Legal & ethical considerations, and managing risk in the workplace;
• Development of a Curriculum Vitae and identification of personal & professional skills;
• Personal & professional skills development;
• Reflective practice, critical reflection ;
• Placement experience;
• Application of theory and subject knowledge to an applied context;
• Career planning.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students will be able to:
• Gain practical experience of leadership in a sociological context;
• Experience planning and evaluation of service provision with experienced practitioners;
• Appreciate the nature of working with practitioners, service users, stakeholders in professional settings;
• Gain an understanding of the influence and role of key organisations in statutory, voluntary, NGO, or charitable settings ;
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the ethos, values, aims and purpose of the agency where the placement has taken place;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the principles, standards and ethical responsibilities related to working in a statutory, voluntary, NGO, or charitable setting;
• Demonstrate the ability to plan, engage, evaluate and reflect in a professional environment;
• Analyse and review methodology, resources, structures and services in a relevant setting;
• Demonstrate how the practical placement has contributed to the development of their personal key skills and vocationally relevant competencies;
• Reflect upon their own performance in the roles they have undertaken on placement;
• Understand the value of social capital and engage in developing this both individually and with others.

• By the end of this module students will be able to:
• Generate evidence of theoretical understanding & application within an applied sociological context;
• Generate evidence of how they have made use of appropriate learning resources (including applied research and literature) to inform their practice;
• Further develop their understanding of subject-relevant professions and organisations;
• Plan and engage with a range of experiences and opportunities within professional settings.

• By the end of this module, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate their ability to communicate, work with others, use ICT appropriately, engage critically, use theory to inform applied practice;
• Demonstrate independent learning strategies and approaches to engaging with issues relevant to the placement setting;
• Take responsibility for their learning and professional development needs;
• Demonstrate employability skills: including communication (written, verbal), team working, leadership, negotiation, motivation, planning, organising, time management, applying academic knowledge to demonstrate an informed understanding of the social issues relevant to the placement context;
• Plan, prepare and effectively make an application to a placement opportunity, demonstrating an effective CV and personal statement which identify and highlight a personal skills profile relevant to the placement experience;
• Manage effective professional relationships in a work environment;
• Produce an evidence-based portfolio demonstrating the acquisition of key professional skills and competencies attained from within the professional placement context.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module learning, teaching and assessment strategy is designed to provide students with an experiential learning framework, within which they will develop a variety of key personal and professional skills relating to employability in a community based statutory or voluntary sector organisation. The main focus of the module is around placement-based learning. This will be supplemented by the inclusion of informative lectures and workshops, and individual tutorial support.
• Lecture & Workshop Programme: The module will be delivered initially via a series of introductory lectures explaining the purpose of the placement, the process and the assessment. Key lectures will focus on the foundation knowledge necessary for students to appropriately prepare for and apply to a professional placement. Applied tasks and workshops will allow for the identification of personal professional skills, and the development of CV’s and placement application letters. Students will also receive key information and knowledge on how to critically self-reflect upon their professional experiences and competencies, as preparation for their placement and associated summative assessments.
• Tutorials: Tutorial support will be offered to all students to appropriately support them through the placement process. This also allows for regular contact to be maintained between the placement supervisor and the student, to ensure that the student is supported in the work environment.
• The Professional Placement: A professional placement within an approved agency will permit the student to further develop their understanding and applied experiences of a professional context. . A mentor will be identified in the agency who will take responsibility for ongoing support and ensuring the student is welcomed and offered opportunities for both learning from and contributing to the organisation in meeting their learning objectives.
• The placement will engage students in their development into effective, independent and critical professionals within a vocationally relevant sociological context. The placement duration will be a minimum of 50 hours, which may typically be achieved by 5 hours per week of contact with the host agency across 10 weeks of the academic year. The pattern of working can be flexible, and is negotiable between the student and the host placement agency. The placement will typically commence within Term One, and may continue into Term Two of the academic year. Students will be advised and supported in the identification of appropriate placement opportunities, with the assistance of the placement coordinator/module convenor. Prior to any formal confirmation, the proposed placement must be approved by the module convenor, in collaboration with the student and agency partners/coordinators.
• Independent Study - Preparation and Reading: The student is expected to engage in activities focusing on the development of key skills, research, and preparation for individual tasks specifically related to their placement setting and learning objectives. There will be a range of resources available via the Module DUO site, which the student can access to further enhance their knowledge and skills related to working in sociological contexts. The student is encouraged to use the preparation and reading time to identify, negotiate and confirm appropriate professional work placement planning – suitable to the placement setting and the student’s academic development needs.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Placement Application Portfolio: - Compulsory element of Formative. Assessment (2,000 words), to be submitted in Term One. The portfolio will demonstrate evidence of student preparation for the placement. It may include the following: • Identification of personal skills and experiences relevant to a placement context; • Development of a CV; • Development of a letter of application to a placement supervisor; • Evidence of placement research and related skills, contact with organisation; consideration of what will be required within the placement setting including the students learning objectives and the skills and knowledge the student can contribute to the organisation; • Reflection on what has been learnt in the process of applying for the placement.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University