What is the content of the field internship?
The student performs tasks assigned by the Faculty, while following the instructions of his/her mentor and showing his/her own initiative. Specific outputs of the internship are:
1. Choice-compulsory tasks
Students develop four educational areas as part of their field internship:
- Communication and direct casework with clients
- Law, ehics and dilemmas in social work
- Functioning of a social work organisation and its management
- Professional and personal self-development
An international student chooses one task from each area (see the table below), which he/she would like to accomplish during the internship (i.e., he/she completes 4 choice-compulsory tasks). All tasks need to be in writing and submitted to a supervisor after completion of the internship. Submission of written assignments is one of the conditions for granting credit for the internship.
It is always better to elaborate the assignments in pairs. It is therefore desirable to harmonize their choice with the Czech student assignments – the offer of tasks for international students is very similar to those elaborated by Czech students. The tasks for Czech students are compulsory.
Tip for students:
When choosing choice-compulsory tasks it is good to get in touch with a Czech student and find out what tasks he/she is to perform during the internship. After mutual agreement it is possible to modify some tasks to be interesting for both students.
2. Field internship plan
Before starting the internship, students prepare a field internship plan, or a schedule of specific activities to be tested during their internship. The activities contained in this plan should be based on the tasks selected and on the student's personal interest. The plan may also include activities that are required by the organisation.
Student activities should form a substantial part of the plan. Mentor activities tend to be rather supportive. They may consist, for example, in providing feedback, in arranging excursions to cooperating organisations, in consulting on a selected topic, or in arranging social investigation in the client's home.
Upon commencement of the internship, students should have a Field Internship Plan ready and familiarize their mentor with it. It is good to go through the Field Internship Plan with the mentor and agree on what activities are feasible in the organisation. Upon mutual agreement of the student with the mentor, this plan can be further modified or refined.
After completing the internship, students again submit the Field Internship Plan to their Internship Supervisor as a basis for granting credit.
Tip for students:
If you choose similar tasks as a Czech student, you can also work together to create a Field Internship Plan. A Czech student already has experience with this document and can consult with you on this.
3. Field log
Throughout the internship students keep a field log (in English), entering the following information:
- Basic information about the organisation (name, mission, objectives, provided services and their forms, target group(s) of clients, job description of social worker, sources of funding) – students find out this information to the maximum extent before the official start of the internship (on the organisation website or when talking to a Czech student) and then fills it out in the first days of internship.
- What they experienced on each day of internship and what experience they gained from each day of internship.
- Records of choice-compulsory tasks.
- Other records at student's own discretion (questions, interesting things, observations, feelings, ideas, contacts...).
Students submit a written field log to their supervisors after the end of the internship.
Updated: 06. 01. 2020
