‘It’s where the real learning happens’: School of Social Work honours Field Instructors

For Janice Chaplin, field education coordinator in the school of social work, it’s the field placements that make the school so special.

“It’s where the real learning happens,” she said.

And the field placements would not happen if it weren’t for the dedicated work of around 200 field instructors who work with the Bachelor of Social Work students who undertake placements in their third and fourth years.

It was with that in mind that the school held a Field Recognition Breakfast on May 14, to honour and thank the instructors who are an integral part of the program.

“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts because you make this program so special,” said Chaplin. “We so appreciate all the work you do to support, mentor and teach our students.”

The annual recognition event, which ran this year for the first time since Covid, is also an opportunity to present awards to the field instructor community.

The New Field Instructor Award, given to a new field instructor who has been in the role for a maximum of three years and who has made exceptional contributions to social work students’ learning and professional development, was awarded to Gayle Da Costa, social worker at Juravinski Hospital.

The Sheila Sammon Award for Excellence in Field Instruction, given to a field instructor who has made exceptional contributions to social work students’ learning and professional development and to the School’s field education program for more than 10 years and who, in doing so, extends Sheila’s commitment to skilled and just practice, was awarded to Laura Ryan, manager of family services at Neighbour to Neighbour Centre.