Creating Healthy Placement Environments

In many post-secondary programs (skilled trades, nursing, engineering, geography, education, business, social work, public health, etc.), placements are a core component of a student’s academic journey. They provide students with an opportunity to gain practical experience in their field of study, build upon classroom learning, and engage in skill-building.¹ Creating a healthy placement environment can contribute to a lower risk of burnout and negative work experience(s), improved health and wellbeing, and increased resilience.¹ Alongside building relationships, placements are also an opportunity for host organizations to retain placement students as staff.¹ While also adhering to the Psychological Health and Safety Standard, consider these recommendations below to gain insight into how, together, we can contribute to building a healthy placement environment for all.   

Onboarding

How a student is welcomed is likely an indicator of what their time at their placement will look like, meaning that onboarding plays a crucial role in setting up a healthy environment for a student to thrive, grow, and succeed.

Host Organization

• Ensure students are being provided with all the key information (dress code, items to bring, forms to sign, work schedule, etc.) and workplace health and safety training/preparation ahead of their first day and integrate them into your team to avoid a siloed orientation
• Create pre- and post-onboarding checklists for students to complete
• Make time to go through the students’ expectations, responsibilities, and goals during their time at placement, encouraging them to ask questions

Student

• It may be helpful to have a list of questions to have answered by the end of day one (i.e., start and end times, lunch and break policies, equipment/supply access, parking (if applicable), conflict resolution plan, point of contact, accessibility needs)
• Understand the expectations of your post-secondary institution when it comes to your placement and come prepared with aligned ideas on learning expectations, what pre-existing skills will be useful in this placement, prioritized skills to enhance/develop, and what you are looking forward to. This will give the host organization an idea of what responsibilities and tasks they can assign you that will fulfill your goals
• Take initiative in meeting new colleagues and learning about team dynamics, roles, and who you could turn to for help with certain workplace topics (e.g., finances, tech issues, office supplies)
• Be proactive in seeking clarification on any unclear expectations or workplace norms that are witnessed

Post-Secondary Institution

• The placement coordinator (or someone of similar role) should coordinate with both the student and host organization that everything is in place for the student to start on the scheduled first day
• Provide students with clear expectations of the placement, including how they will be evaluated during their time there
• Establish a regular check-in process/schedule with the student and host organization to address any concerns, and ensure the host organization has a clear understanding of expectations

Open Communication

Open communication is the foundation of efficacy and efficiency in any collaborative setting. Being in an environment that fosters open, honest, and transparent communication enhances student learning, improves student outcomes, and provides a more trusting and positive student experience.¹

Host Organization

• Be transparent about what situations call for what protocols (i.e., let students know when they can go solo in a situation, when they need you to supervise/be with them, and when they need you to take over for them)
• On a regular basis, openly discuss feedback, expectations, and roles with students to ensure that both parties are on the same page and satisfied with the progress being made
• Lay out procedures for when the main point of contact is not available – let students know who they can turn to for assistance and guidance in replacement of their main supervisor 

Student 

• Know that it’s okay to ask for help or for clarification if there is something you don’t understand, everyone needs time to learn in any job, especially when that job doubles as a learning environment. Lean into a growth mindset. This is a time to learn and grow.
• Acknowledge that you may have to do work that doesn’t fully align with your goals, as well as work that is aligned. Work collaboratively with the host organization to achieve what you set out to accomplish and the goals and skills you want to prioritize developing
• Stay proactive and engaged. Look for ways to contribute beyond assigned tasks, offer assistance where possible, and/or ask for additional learning opportunities

Post-Secondary Institution

• Provide space and time for students to debrief about their placements and provide information on types of support they can access if necessary
• Facilitate open communication (i.e., active listening, constructive feedback, conflict resolution, regularly scheduled meetings, transparency) between all parties to ensure that expectations, concerns, student performance, and progress are being adequately noted and understood
• Establish a feedback loop with the host organization to ensure regular feedback is being communicated so any necessary adjustments can be made accordingly, and issues can be resolved efficiently

CALL-OUT BOX: Debriefing with students about their placements provides them with the opportunity to develop reflective skills and increase knowledge in self-compassion as the conversations speak to both the positive and negative experiences they have at their placement, what supports they may need, and what can be done in the future should the same issue arise

Boundaries

Setting boundaries allows you to communicate your limits, while also clearly expressing your wants and needs. Within a placement setting, boundaries improve relationships, preserve your mental health and wellbeing, make it easier to cope with regular work stressors, and encourage independence.¹ To learn more, visit CICMH’s infosheet on boundaries here.

Host Organization

• Have initial boundary conversations with students to ensure that future actions align with their needs and wishes. If a boundary conflicts with the main supervisor, or with the organization, work towards compromising
  • Ex. Delivering presentations is an unavoidable part of placement, but the student isn’t comfortable delivering one. How can this be negotiated?
• Let students know what type of boundaries they can set in a placement setting (i.e., time, tasks, personal space, energy)
• Acknowledge and validate boundaries that have been stated/expressed by both employees and placement student

Student 

• Come prepared to your placement with boundaries you are comfortable enforcing from the get-go. As you begin your placement, recognize personal limitations and should you need to set a new boundary, don’t be afraid to voice them to the host organization
• When a task or responsibility is handed to you that is outside of the agreed scope of your placement, and/or your expertise, you are allowed to express your concerns and work with the host organization to make the necessary adjustments to the task being asked of you to better fit your scope and expertise, or politely decline in a clear manner
• Advocate for your own wellbeing, whether that be through managing workload, to taking breaks, to communication boundaries

Post-Secondary Institution

• Establish a clear time frame for responding to placement issues. Ensure students are aware that they can reach out to you should they have issues with boundaries being respected at their placement organization, and that you will assist them in resolving this issue 
• Be informed of the workplace insurance parameters (i.e., offsite work, company vehicles) of the organizations your students are involved with
• When it comes to physical and psychological safety in the workplace, know what students can and cannot do and what the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) covers

Equity Considerations

EDIAA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism) actively works towards minimizing barriers that disproportionately affect marginalized populations. Continuous learning, accountability, growth, and meaningful engagement with those most impacted by barriers creates a more trusting and secure environment that provides all individuals a safe space to thrive. 

Host Organization

• Ensure that students are aware of workplace policies related to issues such as racism, stereotypes, discrimination, and microaggressions, and who they can speak to should they witness or be involved in an incident of this nature
• Actively work to ensure all accommodation requests are ready for students ahead of their start date, and optionally, provide the opportunity for cultural safety training
• Consider providing mentorship and specific support systems for students from underrepresented backgrounds to help them navigate their placement and remove systemic barriers

Student

• Advocate for what you need from the host organization and post-secondary institution in order to succeed in your placement (i.e., accommodations and accessibility)
• Familiarize yourself with the host organization’s EDIAA policies and procedures, and ask questions if you are unsure of anything or want further clarification
• Actively reflect on personal biases as you move through your placement and the diverse contexts you find yourself in. Consider reviewing CICMH’s Critical Self Reflection in Action infosheet to assist you in this exercise

Post-Secondary Institution

• When matching students to placements, provide diverse options that will meet their needs (i.e., strengths, learning goals, and interests)
• Communicate with the host organization to ensure all accommodation requests are being received and can be met
• Advocate for the competency of your students, especially those who are more likely to be subjected to discrimination (i.e., international students, Indigenous students, equity-deserving students, women in STEM and trades, 2SLGBTQIA+ students)

Positive Learning Spaces

Physical and social environments, along with relationships, all contribute to one’s learning experience within an environment.¹ Creating a high-quality learning space that embeds principles of trauma-informed practice and care and anti-oppressive practice, while making space to nurture a growth mindset (a mindset where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities and students are encouraged to ask questions and take risks) directly impacts the student experience.

Host Organization

• Leave room for students to make rookie mistakes, they don’t know what they don’t know. Alongside, amplify the student voice and create a space where they can express their opinions, share ideas, and be responsible for their own learning (i.e., self-directed)
• Promote active reflection and testing of knowledge learned, providing opportunities for repeated practice in areas that are related to the students’ goals and interests
• Actively work to develop strong and positive relationships with students, building rapport through collaborative engagement in assignments and tasks

Student

• When opportunities present themselves, engage with them to apply theoretical learning to practical experience. If opportunities are not present, approach the host organization to inquire about ways to make them happen
• Be informed of what a trauma-informed and anti-oppressive space looks, feels, and sounds like
• Be open to diverse perspectives. Actively listen and learn from others within the workplace, recognizing the value of different experiences and viewpoints

Post-Secondary Institution

• Understand the importance of cultivating a growth mindset. Encourage collaboration, agency, and empowerment in students and the effects of it on their placement experience 
• The placement coordinator (or someone of similar role) should routinely check in with placement students to ensure that the environment they are in is one that fosters growth and safe learning opportunities
• Build relationships with organizations that succeed in creating a positive learning space for students. Finding a placement can be stressful for students, so having strong relationship with organizations can create pre-established placement opportunities for students and strengthen the campus-community relationship

References

1. Stirling A, Kerr G, Banwell J, Macpherson E, Heron A. A practical guide for work-integrated learning: Effective practices to enhance the educational quality of structured work experiences offered through colleges and universities. Toronto, ON, Canada: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario; 2016.[↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]