HLTH300 Health Placement Lindie Clark Director of Health Studies

22 About HLTH 300 Health Placement … Work-integrated-learning experience Core unit Bachelor of Health and Psych- Health double degree Diverse range of workplaces – govt, community-based, prof assocs, research, private sector Variety of functional areas – health policy, advocacy, promotion, service management, research, education Students complete a self-contained project, the brief for which is written by partner Placements arranged in line with student skills, interests, career aspirations “Completing my placement … was the most worthwhile and rewarding experience in my life so far”

33 Nuts & Bolts … 6 credit points Usually offered D1, D2, V2 Pre-reqs: –40cp (including HLTH200 and SOC234); –Enrolment in Bachelor of Health degree or Psych-Health double degree –Permission of Dean of Faculty (or nominee – i.e. me!) 20 days at the workplace 3 on-campus workshops Assessment –Project Management Plan (20%) –Completion of Project (60%) –Post-Placement Report (20%)

HLTH300 Health Placements … some examples developing a health promotion strategy to address increasing alcohol consumption amongst young women on the North Shore (Health Service) assessing the level of GP knowledge about Lupus and designing a health education strategy to address needs (community-based organisation) developing a forward plan for youth anti-tobacco group activities (advocacy group) documenting the lessons learned by health workers, peer educators and commercial sex workers during a sexual/reproductive health education program targeted at vulnerable youth in Laos (NGO) designing and undertaking a health promotion project on smoking and smoking cessation in a remote indigenous community (Indigenous Health Service) Establishing and evaluating a Community Garden Project in a local primary school (Health Service and Local Council) Mapping the Heart Foundation Healthy Living projects against area Equity Profiles and CVD rates (NGO) participating in health, peer education and community development projects with Bahay Tuluyuan, an NGO working with street children in need of special protection in the Philippines (NGO)

Tips Invest in relationships with a stable of regular partners for QA and reduced workload Importance of documentation (legal agreement, project briefs, application forms, student and supervisor reports, etc) Match students to projects and partners Early, regular monitoring saves time in the long run Scaffold learning through pre-, mid- and post-placement workshops Encourage peer support Create a bridge to work and/or further study 5 “Teaching and learning in Health Placement … is one of the most worthwhile and rewarding experience in my life so far” (Me!)