Ruairi Breslin, student on the Bachelor of Community and Youth Work (BCYW) has been taking part in the Summer Programme for Undergraduate Research (SPUR). SPUR is an active research based, experiential learning programme for undergraduate students who wish to learn more about the postgraduate experience and possibly pursue a career in research.
During his summer placement, Ruairi is working on a project called ‘Shaping Supervision’, linking in with community and youth workers who supervise students on their fieldwork placements. Supported by members of staff, Ruairi is circulating a survey to current placement supervisors, asking about their experiences as supervisors and collecting contact details from professionally qualified community and youth workers who may wish to become placement supervisors in the future.
Fieldwork practice placements are an integral part of the professional programmes in community work and youth work. At undergraduate level, students complete three placements and, at post-graduate level, two placements, one during each academic year. These extended placement periods allow students to apply the knowledge and skills they learn in lectures and workshops in a variety of workplace settings, as well as providing them the opportunity to learn about the work from experienced practitioners and the communities and young people they work with.
Professional placement supervisors are an important figure during these fieldwork placements. They support students to get involved with communities and young people and, alongside this, provide opportunities for them to reflect on their learning and professional development throughout their time on placement. Over the years, supervisors have become valued mentors to community and youth work students and, in many cases, future colleagues or members of shared practitioner networks.
This project provides an opportunity to gather the perspectives of current Fieldwork Practice Placement Supervisors and, in learning from their experiences, will help us enhance the placement experience for students, supervisors and the communities and young people they are working with.