You may remember how I had to fight for my advanced practicum. If you don’t, you can read this post. Let me tell you, the rest was not history. In my clinical bin I have uncovered the documents to prove it. I remember my clinical supervisor saying, “You want this, fill out this objective packet and get back to me.”
This was NOT  how things worked. A student usually sat down with their practicum instructor and formulated a list of learning objects. I felt my supervisor was thinking you sought me out, so tell me why you want this assignment. I had already done a lot of leg work and homework getting to this point. So, I took her up on the challenge. You will find my answers below that landed me the practicum and allowed me to be one of the first social work interns they ever had.

My academic/professional objectives:

• Casework) An opportunity to work with providers and counseling staff to provide direct treatment( with an individual or several individuals) and intervention in the situation on the client’s behalf with the objective of meeting the client’s needs, helping the client deal with the problems with which s/he is confronted, strengthening the client’s capacity to function productively, lessening her/his distress, and enhancing her/his opportunities and capacities for fulfillment.
• Casework management) An opportunity to provide supportive services, such as: assessment of presenting problems and perceived needs, referral services, policy interpretations, data gathering, planning, advocacy, and coordination of services.
• Group work) An opportunity to focusing on “life skills” and some “health education” during Clinic hours.
• Advocacy) An opportunity to learn about insurances and meet with all patients individually to assist with the paperwork involved to apply for those insurances.  I would also want you to assist with coordination of specialty care referrals both during Clinic hours and some hours during the day to accompany a patient to an appt if the patient were in need of “extra” support and advocacy in other systems. In addition, I would could perform new patient orientations to introduce them to our services and do a simple needs assessment (hygiene items, clothing, information and referral to community resources.)

My objectives are not limited to the above, as the purpose of my advanced practicum is to influence change, to improve the quality of life, and assure the basic rights of the entity or youth and young adults being served by the social worker.