Youth Justice: Practicum I

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course code
YJWD 1240
Descriptive
Youth Justice: Practicum I
Department
Youth Justice
Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Credits
4.50
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
Yes
Semester length
5 weeks/150 hours in block format
Max class size
30
Contact hours
140 hours practicum per semester 10 hours seminar per semester
Method(s) of instruction
Seminar
Practicum
Learning activities
  • Community placement and on-site supervision
  • Seminar
  • Group discussion and exercises
Course description
This course provides students with a first formal opportunity to engage in practice as a youth justice worker under the supervision of a field mentor with support from college faculty. Integration of professionalism, educational experience, and feedback will be expected and facilitated through guided self-reflection to promote personal and professional development.
Course content

The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

  • Practicum settings give students opportunities to synthesize personal and classroom experience with a diverse population.
  • Youth justice workers are self-reflective practitioners who enhance their skills and approach relationships from a strengths-based perspective.
  • Youth justice workers are intentional and demonstrate critical thinking in assessing and making sound, ethical decisions.
  • Ethical and professional practice requires a strength based, trauma-informed, culturally sensitive approach to working with youth.
  • Youth justice workers recognize the relational nature of their work and actively work on developing interpersonal skills, including communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, and feedback skills.
  • Students engage with youth to enhance/encourage their healthy development through appropriate activities.
  • Due to the relational nature of the work, self-awareness and personal wellness are integral in maintaining healthy and productive relationships.
Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • With assistance and support, illustrate professional and ethical principles of youth justice practice as required through YJ practicum competencies and the policies of the practicum sites.
  • Demonstrate relational work and appropriate activities with youth, with ongoing support and consultation with their site and faculty supervisors. 
  • Reflectively examine their own and others' field based experiences to enhance their skills.
  • Demonstrate a trauma-informed perspective, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and strength-based professional practice while on practicum.
  • Assess and develop personal and professional goals to pursue improved practice.
Means of assessment

Evaluation of this practicum is two-staged and designed to produce a letter grade in accordance with the Douglas College grading policy.

Stage I: An evaluation of the student’s ability to meet basic work expectations and youth justice practicum competencies in practice. The mastery level for this stage is 80%. 

Stage II: Providing the conditions are successfully met in Stage I, the student’s final grade will be arrived at by adding the mark achieved in Stage I to the mark received for the written practicum assignments. 

Textbook materials

No text required

Prerequisites

Successful completion of YJWD 1100, YJWD 1220 or CYCC 1220, and CFCS 2432 with a C+ or greater, or with program permission.

Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses
Which prerequisite