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What are the benefits of the Community Service Practicum (CSP) to students?
The CSP provides students with an opportunity to network with agencies and individuals, which is an invaluable and necessary aspect of building a career and obtaining employment. Students get frontline exposure to social issues, including a range of problems clients face and policies that serve as barriers to accessing service. With the CSP exposure, students can narrow their area of interest for dissertation ideas and future career goals. The CSP experience will increase students' preparedness for future practicums.
What are the benefits of the CSP to the community?
The projects are designed to enhance each agency's service to the population which the agency supports. These agencies are invested in training graduate students in both the theory and practice of social justice, which can lead to future advocacy.
How will this practicum be different than the therapy practicum?
You will not be offering therapeutic services as part of the Community Service Practicum. If your site has a therapy service and is looking to extend that, you could be involved in establishing the service or program. For example, your role could be doing a needs assessment of how much this new service would be of value to the community. You will not be the therapist (exception will be leading a workshop on life skills training, social skills training, parent education). Many of the sites will in fact not have a therapeutic service. This sets it apart from the types of sites where you will be doing your therapy practicum.
When will I do the CSP and how long will it be?
The practicum will extend over two semesters starting in your second semester. You will be engaged in your community service practicum over the course of 25 weeks, approximately eight to 10 hours per week.
How many credits will I earn by taking the CSP?
You will earn one credit each semester, or a total of two credits.
What courses will I take in conjunction with the Community Service Practicum?
You will enroll in the Professional Development seminar in the term preceding the practicum, and then concurrently with the practicum. In addition, you will be required to be enrolled in at least one of four classes while you are on practicum:
- Community Psychology and Ment Health (350);
- Professional Development, Issues & Ethics (505)
- Intro to Adlerian Psychology and Psychopathology (402); and
- Social Psychology & Individual Differences (641).
If you have taken one or more of these courses before beginning the CSP (i.e. in the Fall), you will still have to take another course from the above list concurrently with CSP both semesters.
How do I identify a community service site for my practicum experience?
Adler School maintains database of sites, which includes a variety of organizations.
What kinds of sites, and what kinds of work will I be doing to fulfill the requirement?
There are many sites to chose from, including:
- Non-profit organizations (e.g. domestic violence shelter, recreational center/program for individuals with disabilities, transitional services for ex-offenders, residential home/program for individuals with chronic illness, community health clinic)
- Political (alderman/congressional office)
Professional organization (Illinois Psychological Association)
- Consumer Advocacy
- State/city programs (city police, county court)
Students will be engaged in a variety of work , including:
- Developing a new service/program;
- Enabling an organization to apply for external funding based on a pilot study developed by you;
- Disseminating information about the organization through a variety of communications channels such as the press, Internet, and networking;
- Providing the support needed to lobby for legislative change through such means as petitions, fundraising, and networking; or
- Do a program evaluation and/or needs assesment.
Where are the agencies located?
Most are in the cities of Chicago and Vancouver. There are numerous opportunities, however, in the greater Chicago and Vancouver areas.
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