Study Guide

Objective

- The students will gain experience of a social services task that interests them within the public, private or third sector and they will form an overview of the main work contents and tasks.
- The students will practise meeting customers and counseling them in practical situations.
- They will be familiar with documentation and record-keeping practices of social services.
- They will understand issues relating to protecting personal data and general data security
- The students will become familiar with the directory and legal plans and guidelines that regulate their department and work community and can name the objectives of their unit and its working principles
- The students will become aware of how they perceive other people within their work as instructors and counselors within social services and education and they will discover the main focus of their social services career.

In addition, early years education students will:
- become familiar with and participate actively in instructing a group of children.
- will become familiar with the early years curriculum and other plans, guidelines and regulations pertaining to work in early years education
- will plan and implement a small-scale pedagogical project for a group of children.

Content

Social services legislation, customer encounters, customer guidance, documentation, inclusion, practices and methods of the social services sector and early years education, data security, ethical activity, case management, social and healthcare service system, multiprofessional teams and working in networks, eservices / digital learning environments and methods, a functioning work community

During the first week of practical training the students perceive the content and structure of their work days. They students will be introduced to the key practices, guidelines and regulations of their work and the work community.

During weeks 2-3 the students will be actively involved in the work of competent professionals. They will observe their work and its main content and events as well as the interaction between professionals and clients and the methods of completing work. The students will be able to take responsibility for tasks within the work community which match their level of competence.

During weeks 4-8 the students will participate in the work of the work community under the supervision of a responsible proferssional. They will strengthen their understanding of work practices and methods. They will participate in counseling customers within their everyday lige and in the use of services. They will form an understanding of the different phases of working with clients and of how to support clients to make their everyday life easier. They will get to know and participate in the activities of key stakeholder groups and multiprofessional networks that are key to their work/tasks.

Evaluation scale

0 - 5

Further information

Before this practical training period the students must have accomplished or had accredited the following courses through which they gain an overview of the basic task of the social services and education field:
Professional Competence in Working with Social Services Customers 5 credits (basic studies)
Social and Healthcare Service System Competence 5 credits (basic studies)
Basics of Early Years Education 5 credits (professional studies)
Supporting Customer Inclusion 2 credits (basic studies)

Practical training period: 270 hours / 7.5 weeks - 38.15 hours / week
Output: Practical training diary, a reflective written or video output
Assessment: pass/fail