The program leading to the Bachelor of Science with a major in Human Services prepares students for entry-level positions in a wide variety of community services settings. Students in the program learn the roles and functions of the human services worker; characteristics of human growth and development; characteristics of human services agencies; theories and skills of human services; and how ethical issues, legal issues, and multicultural issues affect the work of the human services worker. Graduates are prepared to assist clients in coping successfully with developmental tasks of normal growth and in solving problems caused by personal, social, and environmental stress.

Course work in prepartion for internship includes the following:

• Interpersonal Relations. Students will learn concepts and theories of interpersonal relationships. Development of skills necessary for effective communication will be stressed.
• Introduction to Human Services. Students will learn about human services, the helping process, and the role and function of the human service professional. Students will be exposed to local and state human services facilities.
• Research and Evaluation. An introductory course on research and evaluation methods. Students will learn how to interpret research and how to apply research findings to practical situations in human services.
• Human Services Methods. Presents theories and techniques used by human services professionals in a variety of settings.
• Career Development and Appraisal. Focuses on career development throughout the life span with emphasis on vocational theories, interventions, assessments, and socio-economic factors.
• Diversity Issues in Human Services. Serves as an introduction to multicultural helping. The influence of socio-identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disability) on individuals’ functioning, concerns, and the helping process will be explored.
• Field Observation in Human Services. Students will visit and examine human services systems such as mental health, substance abuse, criminal justice, education, rehabilitation, and professional associations to facilitate decision-making in selecting an internship and to gain a complex understanding of the human service field. (New course to begin Fall 2004)
• Program Development, Implementation, and Funding. This course presents models and practices of developing, implementing, and evaluating human service programs. The course includes an introduction to grant writing and fund raising. (New course to begin fall 2004)
• Psychoeducational Groups. This course combines lectures and experiential learning about psycho-educational groups. Principles and practices for developing psychoeducational groups are emphasized.
• Addictions: Theory and Intervention. Examines the etiology, risk factors and treatment of alcoholism and other addictions.
• Interventions and Advocacy with Children. This course provides an overview of how human service professionals assist children in a variety of settings. Emphasis will be placed on advocacy, supportive work, and short-term crisis intervention.
• Family Guidance. A study of the family as a system and an introduction to a variety of issues confronting the family, including child abuse, spouse abuse, and others who produce more than usual stress in the family. Available community resources for helping families will be examined.

The internship is the capstone learning experience of the Human Services Major. Internship training is a partnership between faculty and supervisors in the field. Students should experience the full range of requirements for your field, with an emphasis on professional Human Services duties. This is essential to the integration of theory into practice.

The purpose of this handbook is to help the Site Supervisor become familiar with internship policies and procedures.

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Objectives
The human services internship is a 12-credit course designed as the capstone of the Human Services program and is completed during one semester of the student’s senior year. Its major goal is the application and practice of human services functions in a setting related to the student’s career goals. The internship provides Human Services majors practice under supervision. This experience is viewed as the focal point for the integration and synthesis of prior didactic and laboratory experiences.

The objectives of the internship are:
* Set priorities, complete tasks, organize work and manage time effectively.
* Appropriately integrate basic human services helping skills.
* Begin to assess individual differences among clients in order to develop individualized treatment plans to meet those needs.
* Demonstrate effective communication strategies and skills.
* Increase awareness of their own needs and attitudes which affect their helping, including cultural influences, and begin to appropriately utilize self in the helping process.
* Demonstrate an understanding of ethical and legal issues in human services work.
* Demonstrate knowledge of the NOHS Code of Ethics by incorporating them in practice.
* Demonstrate appropriate professional work etiquette. Apply specialized skills and maintain workplace norms as appropriate to the human service profession and the student’s specific internship site requirements.
* Select, implement, monitor, and begin to evaluate intervention strategies for generalist practice with diverse populations.
* Recognize, develop and utilize strategies of managing resistance and overcome barriers to change in clients.
* Display knowledge of the legal, administrative, and financial challenges facing clients while identifying effective advocacy strategies to overcome such constraints.
* Demonstrate knowledge about the career-related concerns of the client and the ability to mobilize resources, make referrals, and identify supportive services necessary to assist that client in reaching his or her goals.
* Examine one’s own values and resolve personal value conflicts in relation to the values and ethics of the human services profession and those expressed in the policies and implementation of agency programs and services.
* Understand and utilize the agency’s chain of command when recognizing an ethical violation.
* Utilize theory and research to guide and evaluate practice by collecting and analyzing information for assessment and evaluation as an ongoing process from initial contact through termination.
* Demonstrate knowledge of the formal and informal supports available in the community while assisting clients to identify and access these supports.
* Demonstrate awareness of the impact of diversity and oppression on human services intervention and commitment to practice which is sensitive to differences among people.
* Demonstrate skills of practice with diverse populations (e.g., age, gender, and sexual orientation, disabilities, racial, ethnic and cultural differences.)
* Demonstrate the ability to match specific supports and interventions to the unique needs of the clients.
* Understand the tasks and apply the skills involved in the termination process.
* Demonstrate the ability to utilize continued professional development.


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Time Requirements
A minimum of 400 hours is required for the Human Services internship. It is expected that the human services worker will work 27 hours a week for a period of approximately 15 weeks. Scheduling is determined between the student and the Site Supervisor. In addition to the time that is spent in the work setting, the student must attend class meetings with his or her Internship Course Instructor.

The 400 hours contain two components: direct hours and indirect hours. We expect each intern to complete at least 100 direct contact hours during the internship with the remaining hours comprised of indirect activities appropriate to the placement.

Students are not allowed direct contact hours prior to the semester in which he or she is taking the internship. However, if training or pre-employment rerquirements must be met prior to beginning an internship and do not require direct contact with clients, special permission from the Internship Course Instructor may be granted. Otherwise, the internship starts the on the first day of the the designated semester.

It is expected that all internship experiences will be completed within the semester in which they are approved. If a student he or she cannot complete the internship within the specified time period, he or she must addresss this issue with the Site Superivsor and the Internship Course Instructor, creating an Individualized Learning Plan to address any unmet objectives. Additional time cannot be requested to meet the hour requirement, only to meet the program and initernship objectives.


General Policies for Internship

The internship experience is typically a voluntary arrangement with no financial remuneration required by the University or Agency for services provided in the course of fulfilling internship duties; however, some agencies may offer stipends to interns.

 
Duration of internship is typically for 1 academic semester (approximately 15 weeks total). Students will be allowed to begin their internships only after (1) all necessary paperwork and completed forms have been submitted to the course Instructor, (2) the Instructor, in consultation with agency representative, has determined that the proposed internship site and experience are appropriate for fulfilling program requirements. 

Internship hours shall be in accordance with agency work hours and shall total a minimum of 27 clock hours per week for a minimum total of 400 hours. It is understood that these hours may occasionally vary according to the needs of the student and the agency. Of the 400 clock hours needed, 100 must be in direct and face-to-face service to clients.

The internship experience must be experiential in nature and appropriate to an undergraduate level human services intern. That is, human services student interns must have the opportunity to engage in the following:
·         Direct exposure to human service agencies and clients (assigned visitation, observation, assisting staff, etc.)
·         Actual supervised work involvement in the agency that provides an opportunity to apply academically acquired knowledge and skills and to reflect a gradually widening assumption of responsibilities. It may begin with observations and learning of discrete skills, but later it must include the assumption of increasing responsibility.
·         Assignment of an independent caseload (with appropriate supervision) or assignment of administrative responsibilities within the agency.


Students cannot begin accruing clock hours towards internship requirements prior to the first day of the academic semester in which he or she is enrolled for internship. Vacations and holidays shall be observed according to the University calendar, unless otherwise agreed upon by the Agency and student.

Students who are engaged in community internship-related activities and are enrolled in the internship course are required to seminar class sessions with their Instructor.  

Each student will have a written individualized learning plan that is conjointly developed and agreed to by the Instructor, the student, and the agency supervisor. This individualized learning plan must be completed by the 3^rd week of the internship and needs to focus on helping the student meet the course objectives as outlined in the course syllabus and in the Human Services Internship Handbook.




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GETTING THE SITE APPROVED
The intern placement must be approved by the Site Supervisor, the Internship Course Instructor, and the student. After the student has been accepted by the organization as a student intern, a preliminary meeting involving the student and the Site Supervisor should be arranged. At this meeting the Internship Agreement is finalized. Upon signature by the concerned parties, copies of the agreement are distributed to the student, Site Supervisor, and the Internship Course Instructor.
The internship agreement should be comopleted and signed prior to the start of the internship experience. Modification of the agreement may be made by the On-Site Supervisor with the approval of the Internship Instructor.

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LIABILITY COVERAGE

Old Dominion University’s registered and enrolled students who are required by their curriculum to participate in supervised and graded practica or periods of service outside the University at various internship sites are covered by liability insurance provided through the Commonwealth of Virginia. Each student is required to print a copy of this certificate to give to his or her Internship Site.

The responsibilities of each of the key people involved in the internship are as follows:
Responsibilities of the Student
* Reserve one semester of the senior year for the internship. During the internship, it is recommended that students not have outside work commitments and take no more than one additional three-credit course.
* Confer with the counseling faculty concerning possible internship sites.
* Obtain an unofficial transcript fthrough LEO On-line and submit it to the Internship Instructor at the first class meeting.
* Schedule internship interviews with organizations as directed by the counseling faculty. Be sure to have a prepared resume and background information about the site. * * Contact the Career Management Center for assistance in preparing for the interview.
* Become familiar with the organization prior to the beginning of the internship.
* Complete the Internship Agreement with the On-Site Supervisor.
* Give the On-Site Supervisor the On-Site Supervisor's Handbook and have the Internship Placement Form signed and returned to the Internship Instructor during the first seminar.
* Dress professionally and in accordance with existing dress codes within the organization.
* Be prompt, enthusiastic and eager to work and learn.
* Maintain open communication with the On-Site Supervisor.
* Attend the on-campus internship seminar.
* Submit a weekly log to the Internship Instructor.
* Provide the best possible service to the client.
* Adhere to the Ethical Standards provided by the National Organizations for Human Serivce Education. (Particular attention should be given to the issue of confidentiality.)
* Complete all required projects.
* Complete the various assessments distributed in class

Responsibilities of the Internship Instructor
* Verify that the student has met all prerequisites by checking the student's current transcript in the first class meeting.
* Hold class meetings.
* Act as a liaison between the student and the internship site.
* Approve the Internship Agreement.
* Make required site visits.
* Ensure students complete the Human Services program evaluation.
* Assign the final grade for the internship.

Responsibilities of the On-Site Supervisor
* Collaborate with the student to set goals and objectives.
* Assist the student in meeting requirements through a diversified, viable program of field experiences.
* Orient the student to the policies and procedures of the organization.
* Provide the student with one hour per week of direct supervision and on-going consultation.
* Assign a place for the student to interact with clients.
* Assist in the selection of appropriate clients.
* Meet with the Internship Instructor when visits are made and provide progress reports.
* Inform the Internship Instructor of any problems with the student.
* Verify a weekly log of the student's activities.
* Complete midterm and final evaluations of the student and review the reports with the student before returning them to the Internship Instructor.
* Attest to the fulfillment of internship requirements as outlined.

The following grades are used for internship:

A = EXCEPTIONAL – Student's performance consistently exceeds the usual expectations and is outstanding in a number of areas.

B = VERY GOOD – Student's performance is consistently above average in most areas.

C = SATISFACTORY – Student consistently performs at an acceptable level in all areas.

F = FAILURE – Student has not demonstrated the level of human services knowledge, values and skills appropriate for the internship course. Written approval to repeat the course must be obtained from the Human Services Program Coordinator, and a new application for internship must be submitted according to program deadlines. I = INCOMPLETE – The grade of Incomplete (I) presupposes that the student is doing passing work in the field instruction course, but because of illness or another emergency situation which is beyond the student's control, is unable to complete all course requirements by the end of the semester.

The grade of incomplete (I) may not be awarded to allow the student to do additional work in order to meet internship course requirements. The grade of Incomplete (I) requires an agreement in writing between the Site Supervisor, the Site Adjunct Instructor, and the student about how the internship requirements will be met and in what time frame. An Incomplete Grade Form must be completed and filed with the Human Services Program Coordinator by the 12th week of the internship. If all requirements necessary for removal of the grade of Incomplete (I) are not satisfactorily met by the last day of field instruction in the academic semester or summer session following the academic semester or summer session in which the Incomplete (I) was incurred, the Incomplete (I) will be changed automatically to a grade of Fail (F).

W = WITHDRAW – The grade of Withdrawn (W) indicates that the student has officially withdrawn from the field instruction course after the first week and before the end of the eighth week of the semester. No student who has officially withdrawn from the internship course may continue in the internship placement. Students who withdraw must reapply for a later semester of internship.

Field Experience:
Each student must complete NO LESS THAN 400 hours, with at least 100 of those being DIRECT CLIENT CONTACT HOURS. Students who complete at least 400 hours, with 100 of them of them being direct, will receive full credit for this section. Keep in mind that "putting in the hours" does not guarantee an A.

An agency executive, the On-Site Supervisor, the Internship Course Instructor, or the student may initiate a request for removal from an internship placement. In all cases, a written statement, which documents the issues and/or concerns, is to be prepared by the person initiating the action.

At the request of the agency, the On-Site Supervisor, or the Internship Course Instructor:

* A student may be removed at any point in the semester from the field placement agency for documented unprofessional conduct or for demonstrable lack of progress in attaining field instruction learning objectives.

* The following steps are to be taken:


a) The student will be apprised in writing of the specific nature of the concern(s) about his/her behavior, progress in learning, or performance. Documentation of this will be placed in the student’s file.
b) The person initiating the request will communicate his/her concern, in writing, regarding the student to the Internship Course Instructor.
c) In an effort to resolve the situation, a meeting will be held with, at a minimum, the student, the Internship Course Instructor, the On- Site Supervisor, and others pertinent to the situation. The Human Services Internship Coordinator will be informed and may be included in this meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to ascertain the facts and give all parties involved an opportunity to raise their concerns, and explore possibilities for resolution of the problem. The possibilities include, but are not limited to:
i. continuation in the agency with a remediation plan (including time limits) for correction in the areas identified as deficient.
ii. immediate removal from the agency, without grade penalty, and replacement in another agency to complete the course requirements. A remediation plan must be developed to help the intern avoid repetition. Only one new placement will be allowed.
iii. immediate removal from the agency, for documented cause, resulting in a failing grade. Student will not be placed in a new agency and must reapply for internship for a subsequent semester.
iv. referral for a University Student Code of Conduct hearing
d) In the event the situation is not resolved as a result of this meeting, the matter will be referred to the Human Service Program Coordinator.
e) Steps "b" through "d" should be completed in a period not to exceed four weeks.
Serious obstacles to the student’s learning in the agency may be addressed through a request for removal by the student.

The following steps are to be taken:

a) The student will discuss the situation with the On-Site Supervisor, submitting this request in writing.
b) If the issue remains unresolved, the student will consult the Internship Course Instructor to discuss the issues and the rationale for a new internship site. The Internship Course Instructor will provide documentation and notify the Human Services Internship Coordinator.
c) If, after the discussion, the matter is not resolved, the Internship Course Instructor will convene a meeting with the student and the On-Site Supervisor. The purpose of such a meeting would be to ascertain the facts, to give all parties involved an opportunity to voice their concerns, and to serve as a basis for decisions.
d) The Internship Course Instructor, in consultation with the student and the Human Services Internship Coordinator, will then make a decision in this matter. The possibilities include, but are not limited to:
i. continuation in the agency with a specific plan (including time limits) for correction in the areas identified as deficient.
ii. immediate removal from the agency, without grade penalty, and replacement in another agency to complete the course requirements.
iii. Immediate removal from the agency, for documented cause, resulting in a Failing grade.
e) The above steps should be completed in a period not to exceed four weeks.

If, as a result of these procedures, a student is removed from the Agency for documented unprofessional conduct or demonstrable failure to progress in attaining field instruction objectives, a grade of Fail (F) will be assigned for the course. At that point the student will need to reapply for internship for a subsequent semester and may be referred for a University Code of Conduct signatures below indicate each person’s understanding of the Internship requirements for the Human Services undergraduate degree program at Old Dominion University.


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Links to Internship-Related Forms and Course Assignments


It is a requirement to for each student to keep copies of all forms submitted. That way, should one be lost in the mail, you will have a copy from which to make us another copy.

Internship Application	Form for Requesting Exceptions	Request for a Placement in a school
Supervisor's Qualifications Form	Internship Placement Form Request for 100 Hours Form	Required Log Format
Certificate of Coverage	Site Supervisor's Mid-Term Evaluation of Student Intern	Site Supervisor's Final Evaluation of Student Intern
Student Evaluation of Internship Site	NOHS Code of Ethics