CLD Practice Placement Edition
As Scotland’s educational establishments begin to open up, our CLD students and training providers are facing a “new-normal” as they prepare for the academic year ahead. This includes CLD practice placements and how they will be newly constructed and affected. Over recent months the CLD Standards Council has been developing guidance to help support our sector with the practicalities of CLD student placements. More information can be found here:
Guidance for CLD students and programme providers
Restarting CLD Sector Guidance from the Scottish Government
As practice placements are an essential part of our learning journey, in Scotland we have a number of colleges and universities who ask their students to undertake work placements, integral to their CLD course. The essence of learning to do the job well is in grasping the link between theories and what actually happens when we work with people, their communities and the organisations that impact upon their lives. As part of our recent discussions with sector leads we recently posed the question to employers: what’s your experience of supporting CLD students?
Practice Placements Providers
One employer told us that having a student augmented and supported the work of their organisation: “the student undertook some very valuable work …. very worthwhile”. Many placement providers found that having a student was healthy for their organisation as having research undertaken or questions asked about CLD standards within their own context helped to shape and evaluate their services.
Supervisors
Many supervisors take the opportunity to support a student in order to develop their leadership and management experience and reflect on their own practice. Some reported a boost in their own motivation with one CLDSC Member stating: “I was very gratified to see, at first hand, a student with the passion and commitment for and to the values and principles of C.L.D. and its emancipatory potential as well as the insight to be able to bring theory into practice. I was also inspired to revisit theory that had faded in my memory as well as to discover new perspectives.” Other supervisors said that supporting a student helped their professional learning as it challenged them to keep up to date with recent theory and research.
Students
CLD students report that practice placement not only helped them with on-the-job training but that it helped them to grow and develop their professional network. Students have said that they welcomed partnership working and gained from coaching and mentoring around essential paperwork including reflective logs and work-plans.
Supervisor Training and Support
The CLD Standards Council is currently working with colleges, universities and employers to think about how we can best support students through the creation of a Scotland–wide placement supervisor professional training and development qualification.
To help us shape this work we would be grateful if you could complete the following surveys:
Survey for people who would like to be a supervisor
If you or your organisation is interested in finding out more about CLD Practice Placements and what’s involved, get in touch!
You can email us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk