Total Immerson Experience
Purpose
The T.I.E. is a pre-professional experience available for all students who are interested in Social Work. The student will participate in a Social Service Agency, shadowing a professional licensed social worker for one full week (5 full and consecutive days) in order to better understand:
- Social Work as a vocation and his/her feelings toward a Social Work career.
- The vulnerable populations social workers serve.
- The professional helping relationship.
- The agency setting.
Process
The student will contact a Social Service Agency well in advance of the desired date to arrange for the T.I.E. (i.e. Christmas Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Break, or September).
Product
After completing the T.I.E., the student will write a report of the experience and the cooperating social worker will confirm and evaluate the student's participation. Both reports are required; no credit will be given until both reports are filed with the Social Work Program. In addition, please turn in the Cooperating Social Worker's Information Form.
Participation
Beyond observing normal agency activities, the student will benefit from attending staff meetings and from interviewing various agency personnel. Furthermore the student could engage in the following activities:
- Observing an intake.
- Discussing the assessment process.
- Observing of ongoing process with clients.
- Reviewing problem solving strategies and treatment plans (contracting).
- Reviewing case files.
- Becoming familiar with agency goals and objectives.
- Observing of termination process.
- Gaining as much client interaction as possible.
- Practicing communication skills.
- Becoming familiar with paper work.
- Participating in supervisory sessions - getting performance feedback.
- Interviewing clients.
- Watching training videos.
- Reviewing organizational charts.
The student may lend real assistance to the social worker. However, the student should "shadow" the social worker at all times and not be left alone to tend to clerical tasks.
Procedures
You will be a social worker's shadow in a Social Service Agency for five full, consecutive days. (No exceptions made.)
- You must register for the T.I.E. It is best to register for the T.I.E. the semester following the experience (i.e. if you are doing your T.I.E. in June, your T.I.E. would be on your fall list of classes.)
- Select a Social Service Agency in your home area and contact a social worker well in advance of the date of the T.I.E. Tell the social worker about the T.I.E., show or send him/her the attached forms, and request permission to participate. Your choice must be approved by the Program Director in advance.
- Participate in a whole-hearted manner! You are representing the Lord and Cedarville University.
- Ask the social worker to return the Confirmation/Evaluation Form as soon as possible or bring it back with you. You will not receive credit for your experience if your report and Confirmation Form are not on file.
- Writing your Report. You will be keeping a record of your experience. It should include the following: your name; where and when the T.I.E. took place; a description of the agency you worked in and the name of the social worker you shadowed; an overview of the population you observed and your reaction to them; activities in which you were engaged; your reactions to the experience; your social worker's reactions to you and this experience; and your tentative conclusions about whether Social Work is for you.
- The report should be typewritten and 4-6 pages long.
- Attach to the report a copy of the agency brochure and a copy of the Agency's Mission Statement.
- The report is due the Friday of the second full week after the beginning of each semeseter.
