Appendix H: Sample Learning Contract Activities

The following list is composed of sample activities that can be completed at your field placement. While some activities might reflect multiple competencies, a student cannot list the same activity under multiple competencies on the Learning Contract. These sample activities can be used to help you complete your Learning Contract; you may have to adjust the language to fit your specific field placement.

Download Sample Learning Contract Activities (DOCX)

Generalist Sample Activities

1. Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior

   • I will discuss appropriate roles and boundaries at my placement in supervision.
   • I will use professional language (verbal/nonverbal) when communicating with clients and other professionals in the workplace. Discuss how you have accomplished this in supervision.
   • I will ask for and be open to feedback regarding documentation, oral and written communication during supervision.
   • I will discuss an ethical dilemma that pertains to the agency in supervision.
   • I will reflect on professional behaviors at my agency in a monthly reflection log.
   • I will prepare questions to discuss with my supervisor regarding my social work experience, and questions about their social work career.
   • I will review agency forms and/or signage that could be more inclusive and review my findings in supervision.
   • I will complete an implicit bias test and discuss results in supervision.

2. Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

   • I will research population health for my agency community and share what I learn in a infographic for all staff
   • I will discuss Anti-Racism Principles with my supervisor and the impact on our agency's culture/ client population.
   • I will discuss a current event and the impact the event may have on my agency and policy with my supervisor
   • I will identify forms of oppression or discrimination of client populations and discuss them with my supervisor.
   • I will conduct research to identify economic barriers to social services and care; discuss with supervisor.
   • I will research specific policies that affect the agency's clients and discuss advocacy strategies in supervision.
   • I will identify community events that promote advocacy for a specific population and share with staff and/or clients
   • I will ask my supervisor and staff agency what advocacy looks like for the agency and compile findings into a document that will be shared with all staff

3. Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

   • I will discuss strategies to engage and improve ADEI in practice with my supervisor.
   • I will share my own culture/beliefs/experiences with my supervisor and discuss when it is appropriate to share with clients.
   • I will write a reflection about ways I engage in cultural humility within the practice setting.
   • I will research the experience of a specific population of clients seeking services in my practice setting and determine any barriers to seeking services.
   • I will discuss in supervision my personal strengths and limitations when engaging with clients of a different culture with.
   • I will journal about a time that ADEI Laws impacted social work practice in my setting.
   • I will discuss with my supervisor what diversity means to me and how my agency considers diversity.
   • I will seek external diversity training and discuss my experience in supervision.
   • I will ask clients about their culture and how it has shaped their life, discuss in supervision.
   • I will develop a training for staff on a way that our agency can better serve a specific population.
   • I will review agency policies and develop a recommendation for a policy update to improve equity or inclusivity

4. Engage in Practice-informed Research & Research-informed Practice

   • I will research trauma and discuss the effects of trauma on our clients with my supervisor.
   • I will review evidence informed methods and evaluative tools utilized by the agency and create a presentation that summarizes the agency's evaluative tools to share with supervisor and agency workers.
   • I will discuss in supervision common theories and perspectives utilized when working with clients in my agency and their effectiveness with different populations.
   • I will research evidence-informed policies informing agency practice and client population; discuss with supervisor.
   • I will read professional journal articles relevant to clients served by the agency discuss in supervision.

5. Engage in Policy Practice

   • I will identify one piece of legislation and identify how it may impact my agency’s policies.
   • I will identify a policy that impacts my practice setting and critically evaluate its impact on the individual and/or community we serve. Discuss in supervision and share with agency staff members.
   • I will critically evaluate the history behind a policy impacting services delivered at the agency. Discuss with supervisor in supervision.
   • I will collaborate with my supervisor to make a potential policy recommendation that can be implemented at my agency.
   • I will identify a barrier to services for a specific population and advocate for a low barrier solution.
   • I will participate in a group discussion with clients, staff, or community stakeholders focused on collective problem solving.

6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will discuss in supervision ways to engage with person(s) who may be of a different culture/background
   • I will complete a monthly reflection focusing on how my role as a social worker may impact my engagement with clients
   • I will seek feedback from supervisors about ways to build rapport and trust, and to roll with resistance with clients.
   • I will review literature on rapport-building/ interpersonal skills and practice in various communities and apply concepts in practice. Discuss in supervision.
   • I will engage in active listening with clients, agency staff, and supervisors and review this skill in supervision.
   • I will observe supervisor and agency workers during their interactions with clients. Discuss the client interactions with your supervisor.
   • I will identify areas of comfort and discomfort in client engagement and discuss in supervision.
   • I will role play with supervisor an initial interaction with a client.

7. Assess with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will help to complete a family genogram after client assessment.
   • I will discuss with supervisor appropriate terminology and documentation of interactions with clients
   • I will observe client assessment and discuss my observations during supervision.
   • I will complete documentation of an assessment within my agency and review the document with my supervisor.
   • I will discuss in supervision how to navigate when an assessment makes a client ineligible for services.
   • I will complete an ecomap of the community my agency services and discuss in supervision.

8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will write a treatment plan for a client and review with supervisor for direction and feedback
   • I will develop a list of community agencies/referrals for clients that will be shared with all staff
   • I will facilitate a support group or psycho educational group. Discuss in supervision your feelings on group facilitation, and best group facilitation practices.
   • I will develop a post treatment plan for clients and discuss this process in supervision
   • Select a specific intervention used at the agency and at the micro, mezzo, and macro level with your supervisor.

9. Evaluate with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will review evaluation and data collection tools/ methods used at agency. Discuss in supervision.
   • I will complete an organizational analysis (including staffing, finances, etc) and share within my generalist class
   • I will discuss in supervision how successful/unsuccessful treatment is evaluated within the agency
   • I will assess my own internship and share my thoughts in supervision.
   • I will interview agency staff about the strengths and limitations of the agency. Share with the agency supervisor your findings
   • I will complete an ecomap of the community my agency services and discuss gaps in supervision.

Specialized Sample Activities

1. Demonstrate Ethical & Professional Behavior

   • I will ask for and be open to feedback regarding documentation, oral and written communication during supervision.
   • I will discuss an ethical dilemma that pertains to the agency in supervision.
   • I will reflect on professional behaviors at my agency in a monthly reflection log.
   • I will prepare questions to discuss with my supervisor regarding my social work experience, and questions about their social work career.
   • I will review agency forms and/or signage that could be more inclusive and review my findings in supervision.
   • I will complete an implicit bias test and discuss results in supervision.

2. Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

   • I will research population health for my agency community and share what I learn in a infographic for all staff
   • I will discuss Anti-Racism Principles with my supervisor and the impact on our agency's culture/ client population.
   • I will discuss a current event and the impact the event may have on my agency and policy with my supervisor
   • I will conduct research to identify economic barriers to social services and care; discuss with supervisor.
   • I will research specific policies that affect the agency's clients and discuss advocacy strategies in supervision.

3. Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

   • I will discuss strategies to engage and improve ADEI in practice with my supervisor.
   • I will share my own culture/beliefs/experiences with my supervisor and discuss when it is appropriate to share with clients.
   • I will write a reflection about ways I engage in cultural humility within the practice setting.
   • I will research the experience of a specific population of clients seeking services in my practice setting and determine any barriers to seeking services.
   • I will discuss in supervision my personal strengths and limitations when engaging with clients of a different culture with.
   • I will journal about a time that ADEI Laws impacted social work practice in my setting.
   • I will seek external diversity training and discuss my experience in supervision.
   • I will develop a training for staff on a way that our agency can better serve a specific population.
   • I will review agency policies and develop a recommendation for a policy update to improve equity or inclusivity

4. Engage in Practice-informed Research & Research-informed Practice

   I will research trauma and discuss the effects of trauma on our clients with my supervisor.

   • I will review evidence informed methods and evaluative tools utilized by the agency and create a presentation that summarizes the agency's evaluative tools to share with supervisor and agency workers.
   • I will discuss in supervision common theories and perspectives utilized when working with clients in my agency and their effectiveness with different populations.
   • I will research evidence-informed policies informing agency practice and client population; discuss with supervisor.
   • I will read professional journal articles relevant to clients served by the agency discuss in supervision.
   • I will develop and implement one evaluation process that engages clients as evaluators. Share your evaluation process in supervision.
   • I will research why certain cultures do not engage in therapy and recommend steps to reduce barriers/ stigmas. Share your findings in supervision; or in agency staff meetings.

5. Engage in Policy Practice

   • I will identify one piece of legislation and identify how it may impact my agency’s policies.
   • I will identify a policy that impacts my practice setting and critically evaluate its impact on the individual and/or community we serve. Discuss in supervision and share with agency staff members.
   • I will critically evaluate the history behind a policy impacting services delivered at the agency. Discuss with supervisor in supervision.
   • I will collaborate with my supervisor to make a potential policy recommendation that can be implemented at my agency.
   • I will identify a barrier to services for a specific population and advocate for a low barrier solution.
   • I will participate in a group discussion with clients, staff, or community stakeholders focused on collective problem solving.

6. Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will discuss in supervision ways to engage with person(s) who may be of a different culture/background
   • I will seek feedback from supervisors about ways to build rapport and trust, and to roll with resistance with clients.
   • I will review literature on rapport-building/ interpersonal skills and practice in various communities and apply concepts in practice. Discuss in supervision.
   • I will engage in active listening with clients, agency staff, and supervisors and review this skill in supervision.
   • I will observe supervisor and agency workers during their interactions with clients. Discuss the client interactions with your supervisor.
   • I will identify areas of comfort and discomfort in client engagement and discuss in supervision.
   • I will role play with supervisor an initial interaction with a client.

7. Assess with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will complete a literature review of an assessment used with the population our agency serves and discuss in supervision the appropriateness of this assessment within the agency.
   • I will discuss with supervisor appropriate terminology and documentation of interactions with clients
   • I will observe client assessment and discuss my observations during supervision.
   • I will complete documentation of an assessment within my agency and review the document with my supervisor.
   • I will discuss in supervision how to navigate when an assessment makes a client ineligible for services.

8. Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will write a treatment plan for a client and review with supervisor for direction and feedback
   • I will facilitate a support group or psycho educational group. Discuss in supervision your feelings on group facilitation, and best group facilitation practices.
   • I will develop a post treatment plan for clients and discuss this process in supervision
   • Select a specific intervention used at the agency and at the micro, mezzo, and macro level with your supervisor.
   • I will research an alternative form of therapy for the population served by my agency and share findings with staff and supervisor (via email, presentation or other means)

9. Evaluate with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, & Communities

   • I will review evaluation and data collection tools/ methods used at agency. Discuss in supervision.
   • I will complete an organizational analysis (including staffing, finances, etc) and share within my generalist class
   • I will discuss in supervision how successful/unsuccessful treatment is evaluated within the agency
   • I will assess my own internship and share my thoughts in supervision.
   • I will complete my evaluative research project within my agency and turn in my completed poster for SOWK 616
   • I will complete a presentation of my evaluative research findings to agency staff and supervisor
   • I will complete an ecomap of the community my agency services and discuss gaps in supervision.