BAC practicum information

?konga (Students) Rights in a placement

• Be treated as part of the team in which they are working
• Receive information, constructive feedback and support, to ensure a positive learning experience
• Provide feedback to the MIT | Te P¨±kenga BAC Practicum Facilitators about the learning experience and support received during the placement.

Year 2 and 3 BAC Practicum requirements

Direct and Indirect Practicum hours

Full-time students are to complete approximately 250 placement hours over the year in an approved agency placement. The 250 hours are spread over the two Practicum modules each academic / practicum placement year in Year 2 and Year 3.

Placement hours are divided into:

• Direct hours: A minimum of 100 face-to-face client counselling hours
• Indirect hours: 150 hours work with the same placement agency or health service where you are completing your direct hours. If you go over 150 hours, this is fine. You do not have to log these indirect hours with MIT | Te P¨±kenga. You are working within a trust model for this.

The placement should be continuous throughout the MIT study year and occur on one or more days per week.

During Indirect hours students can include (and other practicum placement-related activities not listed):

• Writing case notes
• Meeting with agency supervisor
• Meeting with external Supervisor
• Peer supervision
• Case management or staff meetings within or beyond the agency
• Phone calls to arrange client appointments
• Meetings with other professionals such as teachers
• Assisting with practical tasks within the agency such as answering phones and other associated administrative tasks
• Consulting client records
• Listening to own client recordings
• Reading, research and preparation for sessions
• Attending networking meetings
• Creating a resource for the agency such as an anti-bullying resource kit
• Attending agency, school or health service school activities to support clients
• Observing a counselling session
• Attending agency PD / training
• Supporting the agency in fundraising activities.

Length of a counselling session – please refer to the BAC Practicum Resource Centre in CANVAS.

ONE counselling hour is at least 50 minutes.

In some circumstances you may be required to do a short session for e.g.

• They are working with a young child or person who is unable to tolerate more than a 25-minute session.
• Their client is distressed or has a presentation which prevents them from being able to tolerate more than a 25-minute session. The 25-minute session is the minimum session time acceptable for your counselling log.

A Counselling Session that runs longer that 1 hour may be required under certain circumstances e.g.

• Client presents with safety risk and is unable to be left unattended
• Provide time for culturally appropriate practices e.g. whanau hui.
• The student is required to provide rationale for the extended session for the additional time to be counted. It is preferred.

In these cases, the student may be asked to provide rationale for both.

The expectations of the Year 2 and 3 Practicums include:

• Participating in an induction to the agency
• Negotiating the placement and working with the Practicum Liaison Person (PLP).
• An introduction to professional practice within an agency or health service
• Contributing to the work of the agency or health service
• Providing counselling for individuals, couples, families, or groups as negotiated with the Practicum Liaison Person (PLP), External Supervisor (ES), and BAC Practicum Facilitator.
• Following appropriate systems and ethical requirements for ‘case management’
• Receiving external supervision from an MIT | Te P¨±kenga approved supervisor
• Integrating the theories, interventions and modalities, they are learning into their practice with clients
• Conducting themselves in ways that are ethical, honest, reflective, and self-aware, and recognise practice issues and client relationships that challenge them. Students are expected to be journaling throughout their studies and are encouraged to seek counselling for themselves where that is deemed appropriate.

Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately and professionally in their manner, dress, and language. They are expected to fulfil the tasks they are assigned within their ability and competence. It is expected that they will follow agency procedures in such matters as taking notes, maintaining confidentiality, and attending staff or other meetings when invited to do so, BAC study permitting. Students are to be in class when required (timetabled) and not be counselling clients or engaging in any other agency activity during class times.

MIT | Te P¨±kenga supports student Practicum by providing small group supervision in addition to the other supervision requirements. During class group supervision sessions students may discuss or present ‘case’ work and give and receive feedback about their counselling practice and work.

Students may be encouraged to complete placement in two different Practicum placement settings over the course of their training to ensure they receive a range of experiences with different client groups.