Professional Practice Handbook

Foundation Level

This forms the Module Handbook for Foundation Level

Professional Practice Module CYMI40678

for the following courses:

BA Honours Degree in Schools, Youth & Community Work and Practical Theology

Validated by the University of Staffordshire and by the National Youth Agency

BA Honours Degree in Youth Work, Communities and Practical Theology

Validated by the University of Staffordshire and by the National Youth Agency

Contents

Page

Glossary of Terms / 4
Overview of Professional Practice Modules / 5
Professional Practice in Year 1 / 6
Professional Practice Timeline for Year 1 / 7
The Main Practice Agency / 8
Professional Practice Tutorials / 10
Professional Formation Groups / 11
Professional Responsibility and Expectations / 12
Good Practice Issues / 14
Year 1 Shadowing Experience / 15
Alternative Agencies / 16
The Professional Practice Portfolio / 17
Competence 1: Professional Formation / 20
Competence 2: Building Purposeful Relationships / 22
Competence 3: Learners and Learning / 22
Competence 4: Management, Administration and Developing Service Provision / 23
Competence 5: Participation and Communities / 25
Competence 6: Ministerial Formation / 27
Module Descriptor for Staffordshire University / 28
Assessment Criteria for Foundation Level Professional Practice Modules / 30
Accessing Professional Practice Documentation from myCYM / 32

Glossary of Terms

This glossary is designed to help you become familiar with the terminology used within CYM professional practice modules.

Alternative Professional Practice Agency / Students undertake work with two different secular agencies during their time on the course.
Assessment Documents / Line Managers, Professional Practice Tutors and students all complete assessments on the student’s progress at mid-year and end of year.
Competences / The skills, knowledge and understanding needed for professional work are divided into six areas of competence.
Competence Elements / Specific skills are highlighted through the use of competence elements (a,b,c, etc) which students are required to demonstrate.
Directed Tasks / Specific professional tasks which students write as part of their agency and academic work.
End of Year Assessment / The Professional Practice submission in June.
Evidence of Practice / Materials which the student collects and submits to demonstrate their professional skills.
Main Agency Line Manager / The person in the main agency who oversees the students work in the agency and meets regularly with them to discuss this.
Main Practice Agency / The church or organisation in which the student undertakes the majority of their practice during the course.
Mid-Year Assessment / The Professional Practice submission in January.
myCYM / CYM’s virtual learning environment (VLE), which can be accessed at
Observation / Sessions in which the student’s work is observed and a report written on their practice.
Professional Formation Group / Small groups which meet to discuss practice and help develop students’ understanding and skills.
Professional Practice Portfolio / The folder of work submitted by the student for the module.
Professional Practice Tutor / A qualified and experienced professional who meets with the student regularly to assist them in their learning and professional development.
Reflective Journals / Reflective, analytical pieces of work in which students demonstrate their competence and pull together their reflection on practice, reading and theology.
Shadowing Experience / Year 1 experience in which the student shadows an experienced professional and reflects on their learning from this.
Three-Way Meetings / Twice yearly meetings between the student, the Line Manager and the Professional Practice Tutor.

Overview of Professional Practice Modules

The aim of the professional practice modules is to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes that will enable a student to become a qualified youth and community worker. Professional practice modules are assessed throughout the course and focus on developing six areas of competence:

Competence 1: Professional Formation

Competence 2: Building Purposeful Relationships

Competence 3: Learners and Learning

Competence 4: Management, Administration and Developing Service Provision

Competence 5: Participation and Community

Competence 6: Ministerial Formation

The Institute for Children, Youth and Mission (CYM) understands the motive of those working with children, families, young people and communities to be defined by a sense of fulfilling their God-given vocation. All kinds of approaches and methods may be used within the work, but these are situated in an understanding of God’s love and purpose.

Our values are based on CYM’s biblical foundation and on professional principles. We are committed to love, relationship, equality of opportunity, choice, respect, freedom, responsibility, wholeness and justice.

This handbook introduces the different aspects of professional practice that students will experience during their time with CYM. The programme is designed to encourage the development of the whole person, as well as professional and academic skills. Students will engage in reflective practice and will be encouraged to integrate material from their taught modules, their own reading, theological reflection and their own spiritual life into the process of writing for the professional practice modules.

By the end of the foundation level(Year 1) module students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the competences and to apply them in a range of contexts. This will include non-routine tasks and some individual responsibility and autonomy. They will assist with a range of duties including collaborative tasks, development of volunteers, project development and sharing information with other agencies. They will demonstrate a commitment to professional principles and values.

The Role of the Regional Centre

Nominated staff at the regional centre will oversee professional practice and you will be told who your first point of contact is. They are responsible for:

  • Approving professional practice agencies and tutors and providing information and induction for Line Managers and tutors
  • Supporting students, agencies and tutors to meet the course requirements
  • Convening parity meetings and overseeing assessment
  • Dealing with any issues that arise concerning the students professional practice programme

Professional Practice in Year 1


Professional Practice Timeline for Year 1

Autumn Term / Induction for Line Managers, PPTs and PFG Tutors at Regional Centre
First three-way meeting
Four professional practice Tutorials
Professional formation groups
Complete Directed Task for Competence 1
ShadowingExperience to be completed by mid-year
Spring Term / Mid-year submission of Portfolio to PPT / 15 January 2016
Three professional practice tutorials
Professional formation groups
Regional Centre parity meetings
Second three-way meeting
Students may begin their first Alternative Agency at the end of this term, after submitting the Alternative Agency Proposal Form to the PPT and Regional Centre
Summer Term / Two professional practice tutorials
Professional formation groups
Complete practice agency hours
Complete first Alternative Practice Agency Proposal Form
End of year submission of Portfolio to PPT / 27 May 2016
Regional Centre parity meetings
National parity meeting and Exam Board
Results available to tutors and students

The Main Practice Agency

Students work with their Regional Centre to choose a suitable main agency, which will be the focus of the student’s practice for the three years of the course. The Main Agency Application Form must be submitted and the agency approved by the Regional Centre before the student starts their studies.

The main practice agency will normally be a Christian youth and/or community work project, school, Christian organisation or church. ‘Christian’ means the agency either subscribes to the Apostles' Creed or has the promotion of the Christian religion as one of its charitable aims.

Practice Agencies are required to:

  • Provide opportunity for students to develop their practice and experience in all the competences.
  • Hold Employer’s Liability and Public Liability insurance
  • Adhere to appropriate policies and procedures including CYM’s Equal Opportunities Policy and Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures and agency-specific Health and Safety and Safeguarding or Child Protection Policies that meet legal requirements.
  • Pay CYM the annual agency fee
  • Meet the student’s travel costs to the Regional Centre, professional practice tutorials and professional formation groups
  • Cover all work-related expenses
  • Provide a support structure for the student’s personal, social and spiritual development, including regular supervision with a Line Manager and an independent person to provide pastoral and spiritual support.

Practice Hours

To meet the requirements for professional validation, practice is defined as informal education with children and young people whose participation is voluntary.

Students must undertake 364 hours per year in the main agency

At least 50% (182 hours) must be face-to-face work with the specified group

Normally, at least 80% of the face-to-face hours should be with the 13-19 age range

On the Schools Work degree, at least 50% of the face-to-face hours must be in a school or educational context e.g. FE, Pupil Referral Unit, Young Offenders Institution.

The remaining practice hours may include:

face-to-face work in formal (e.g. assemblies, lessons) or other settings or with other ages

preparation, evaluation and administration

supervision, management and team meetings

research and networking

required attendance at worship, Bible study, prayer meetings etc.

Students may only include hours from up to one week and two weekends residential work per year. No more than 12 hours per day may be counted.

Timesheets

Students are required to keep a record of their hours on appropriate timesheets, which can be downloaded from MyCYM. These should be signed on a weekly or fortnightly basis by the Line Manager.

The Role of the Line Manager

The Role of the Main Agency Line Manager is a vital one as they serve as the key professional supervisor for the student within the agency. Line Managers will take part in an induction programme and be supported by the Regional Centre. In the first year they are responsible for:

  • Attending the induction session at the Regional Centre or ensuring someone else does so on their behalf
  • Obtaining a satisfactory Access NI or DBS Disclosure on the student and returning the Safeguarding Confirmation Form to CYM
  • Organising and overseeing the student’s induction into the agency
  • Managing and supervising the student’s work for the agency
  • Ensuring that the work programme enables the student to fulfil the competences
  • Meeting regularly with the student, usually at least once a fortnight and signing the student’s completed timesheets
  • Assessing the student’s suitability to become a qualified professional worker through the completion of mid-year and end of year appraisal forms
  • Formally observing the student’s work once a term
  • Attending two three-way meetings
  • Releasing students to attend all course commitments
  • Communicating to the Regional Centre any concerns or issues regarding the students work or the course, as they arise

Pastoral and Spiritual Support

Practice agencies must ensure that students can meet regularly with an independent person for pastoral and spiritual support. The arrangements should be agreed between the student and the agency but we suggest the following guidelines:

  • The person should be completely independent of the students’ supervision structure and normal working teams. Sometimes it is beneficial for the student to meet with someone outside the agency.
  • They should have appropriate skills and supervision to offer pastoral and spiritual support
  • The relationship is confidential, subject to usual Safeguarding procedures
  • Regular meetings are held to develop a relationship that supports the student throughout the course
  • Pastoral support is not used just when there is a crisis or to influence the assessment process but should be seen as an essential aspect of the student’s on-going development

Professional Practice Tutorials

All students will be assigned a Professional Practice Tutor (PPT) who will normally hold a JNC or equivalent appropriate professional qualification (Level 4 or above) or have equivalent professional experience.The PPT helps the student reflect on practice and put together their professional practice submission.

Students will meet with their PPT for one-hour tutorials nine times in the year: normally four times in Term 1, three times in Term 2 and twice in Term3. Students are expected to travel to the PPT for meetings unless otherwise agreed with the tutor.

Following the initial meeting of the year, the student should send one or more pieces of work to the PPT at least 48 hours in advance of each tutorial, or as agreed with the tutor. Through written work and tutorials and through reference to the competences, the tutor seeks to develop the student’s learning and professional practice, and helps ensure that they are able to demonstrate their competence. They should also monitor the agency practice and the student’s hours to ensure that they are not overworking. The tutor marks the student’s portfolio at mid-year and end of year.

PPTs are responsible for:

  • Attending the induction session at the Regional Centre
  • Meeting the student regularly each term for tutorials to support their learning and development as a Christian worker
  • Marking work submitted before tutorials
  • Chairing two three-way meetings
  • Completing two observations of the student’s practice. These will normally be done at the same time as the three-way meetings, and will normally be observations of the student’s practice with young people.
  • Completing the tutorial feedback form for the Regional Centre
  • Undertaking academic and practice-based assessment of the student, through completing the mid-year and end-of-year assessment
  • Attending regional parity meetings following mid-year and end-of-year assessments.
  • Communicating to the Regional Centre any concerns or issues regarding the student’s work or the course, as they arise

Three Way Meetings

There are two three-way meetings during the year between the student, the main agency Line Manager and the PPT. These take place early in the autumn term and shortly after the mid-year assessment. Three-way meetings are an opportunity to monitor progress and explore issues relating to the student’s work in the agency, their professional development and professional practice assessment. The three-way meeting will usually be arranged by the student and is facilitated by the PPT. Suggested guidelines for these meetings can be found on myCYM.

Potential problems in professional practice should be discussed as they arise within supervision or tutorials, rather than waiting for three-way meetings.

Professional Formation Groups

All students will be part of a Professional Formation Group (PFG). PFGs run alongside teaching modules to look at theory and learning relevant to the professional practice competences. Their purpose is to provide:

  • opportunity to focus on the competences and prepare for the directed tasks
  • peer support and supervision
  • experiential learning about groups and the way groups learn
  • a safe space to discuss theory, practice and theology
  • opportunity to develop understanding of Christian professional practice

Each student undertakes an observation in the professional formation group at least once in the year.Tutors will negotiate the agenda of the group and provide appropriate resources to facilitate the group within CYM’s guidelines. Students are expected to gradually take on more responsibility for the running of the group as the course progresses and may undertake tasks such as:

  • doing a prepared presentation
  • leading prayer, reflection or worship
  • presenting a journal or directed task
  • facilitating an activity/discussion or taking responsibility for co-ordinating the session

The role of the PFG Tutor is to facilitate the students’ learning from the experience of working together, reflecting on the tasks undertaken and on the process of becoming a group. PFG Tutors also complete an assessment of the student’s professionalism for the mid- and end of year Professional Practice submissions.

Professional Responsibility and Expectations

A key aspect of CYM courses is personal and professional development. Students are expected to behave professionally in their agencies and in all CYM contexts and are assessed professionally for professional practice modules as well as academically.

Students are responsible for:

  • Identifying their own main agency and liaising with CYM to ensure that this agency meets the appropriate criteria
  • Attending community week, Regional Centre teaching blocks, professional practice tutorials and professional formation groups
  • Liaising with their PPT and setting up tutorials, observations and three-way meetings
  • Submitting work regularly and punctually, at least 48 hours before tutorials, unless otherwise agreed with their PPT
  • Setting up their shadowingexperience and alternative agencies in consultation with their PPT, Line Manager and Regional Centre staff
  • Alerting their Line Manager, PPT and Regional Centre of any sickness, issues or difficulties affecting their work
  • Acting in accordance with agency and CYM policies and procedures and behaving professionally in all agency and CYM contexts
  • Making good use of the supervision and support offered through the agency and CYM

Students can fail professionally if they:

  • Do not attend or are late to Regional Centre teaching days, professional practice tutorials or professional formation group meetings, without professional reasons.
  • Fail to submit work to the PPT 48 hours before tutorials (or as agreed).
  • Fail to adhere to agency and/or CYM values, expectations, policies and procedures.
  • Do not communicate professionally with or within the agency or the Regional Centre.
  • Demonstrate unprofessionalism in regard to their attitude, reliability, honesty or integrity.

In serious cases students may be suspended from studies or advised to undertake a non-professionally qualifying course.