Together We Grow

Together We Grow is a fieldwork supervisors’ peer support group project that was implemented in the 2022/23 academic year. Fieldwork supervisors have a critical role to play in developing students’ practice, working alongside training institutions in supporting the transfer and development of learning in practice. Working as a fieldwork supervisor you make a significant contribution to the development and maintenance of the profession of social work.

As professionals, we are ethically required to continually improve our professional knowledge, and skills through learning. This also applies to the fieldwork supervisors. Apart from a commitment to developing your knowledge and skills through undertaking a formal programme of learning, we hope to develop support mechanisms that may enable you to reflect on your role and continuing professional development as a fieldwork supervisor.

As such, we aim to develop the potential for support and learning generated through a wider network of fieldwork supervisors working together in “communities of practice” (Wenger, 1998). Communities of practice provide a new model for connecting people in the spirit of learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. A small-group learning community among fieldwork supervisors provide spaces for mutual sharing on fieldwork-related issues. Fieldwork supervisors can share ideas and suggestions, and engage in dialogue relevant to their specific areas of interest in fieldwork teaching. They “share a passion for something they know how to do and who interact regularly to learn how to do it better” (Wenger, 2015).

Details of the Arrangement

Aim and Objectives:

With the ultimate aim to enhance the professional development of fieldwork supervisors and in turn contribute to the learning of our students during the placement practice, the objectives are:

• To provide a collegial space in which fieldwork supervisors share their work, engage with and learn from the approaches of others, discuss challenges and successes of being a fieldwork supervisor;
• To explore practical instructional techniques and broader pedagogical strategies with their colleagues; and
• To foster the culture of peer support and collaborative professional development in teaching and learning

Target Participants: 

• Fieldwork supervisors joining APSS since 2021 and
• Appointed as the fieldwork supervisors for September 2022, Semester 1 – 2 Concurrent Placement;
• A small quota will be given to fieldwork supervisors who joined APSS before 2021

Group Composition:

• One facilitator* per 4 to 5 fieldwork supervisors (*The facilitator is an experienced fieldwork supervisor who is passionate to share their work experiences and support other colleagues through the journey of supervision.)

Meeting Schedule: 

• Period of meeting: Late August 2022 to Mid-April 2023
• Frequency of meeting: 6 times (every 6 weeks)
• Time: 2.5 hours (preferably weekday evenings, 7:00-9:30 pm but still subject to negotiation)

Topic:

1. The process of supervision through the ‘life’ of the placement (i.e. Beginnings: Orientation and Preparation; Early to Middles: Planning and Assessment, Middles: Intervention and Implementation; Endings: Evaluation and Termination)
2. Specific topics (i.e. supporting students with mental health issue, live supervision, writing evaluation report, managing students with late submission of assignments…)

The meeting may vary in topic as we develop our community.

A resource kit with materials related to social work fieldwork supervision will be provided.

Format: 

• F2F or online (preferably to have some F2F sessions).
• The two basic formats envisioned include:

1. A group discussion of a particular topic
2. A presentation by one of the fieldwork supervisors on a particular topic, followed by discussion