Note: This will be of interest to government
departments,publi9c health departments and community-based
agencies in Toronto, Ontario, and across Canada and the
U.S.A.  It may also be of interest to those abroad, as our
students occasionally choose to have placements in Europe,
Africa, or Asia.

May  28, 1996

Dear Community Agency:

The University of Toronto is looking for practicum
opportunities for its first and second year Health Promotion
students. We wonder whether your agency would be interested
in providing such a placement. Ten students are enrolled in
each year of the program.

The practicum is intended as a full-time commitment to the
agency and involve a 35-hour work week.  This extensive
commitment to the agency's activities and interests provides
an opportunity for the agency to benefit from the
availability of an additional member of the health promotion
team.

Background
Health Promotion is a two-year Masters in Health Science
program offered within the Division of Community Health,
Department of Behavioural Science. The program educates
professionals who can assess the health promotion needs of
groups and communities, and design, implement and evaluate
health promotion programs and policies.   Our students are
mature individuals with experience in the health and health
promotion areas. Our graduates are employed with a range of
federal, provincial, and municipal government and voluntary
health agencies.

Practica Placements
During the two years in the program students complete two
practica, one at the end of their first year, the other in
the middle of their second year. Students arrange their own
practicum, although all placements have to be approved by
the Health Promotion Program.

Practicum I (May-July of the student's first year)
During Practicum I students seek "hands on" experience in
health promotion and opportunities to apply the theory and
analytic skills acquired in courses. Students establish
their goals in consultation with their academic supervisors
and their community supervisors.  A written copy of goals is
prepared at the start of the practicum and signed by the
student and the community supervisor. Specific objectives
might include:

 -      to undertake a project or part of a project on
behalf of the sponsoring agency (e.g., to conduct a needs
assessment, plan a particular community event, develop
educational materials, evaluate a program);
 -      to participate in the on-going business of the
agency (e.g., attend meetings, participating in committee
work);
 -      to produce a report, document or publication
relevant to the work undertaken.

The particular activities undertaken will, of course, depend
on the nature of the practicum setting, the agency's needs
and on-going projects, and the student's own learning
objectives.

Practicum  II (Jan-April during the student's second year)
During Practicum II students have a further opportunity to
apply the theory, analytic and practical skills acquired in
courses. In addition, they are required to critically
examine a health promotion issue arising within their
placement. Issues may include: Who does health promotion in
the field?  How are health promotion programs evaluated in
practice? How do inter-agency coalitions work?

Responsibilities of the Agency
Agency responsibilities are to: 1) establish with the
student a mutually-agreed upon "contract" for the practicum;
2) ensure that the student's agency activity and, when
applicable, inquiry activity is sufficiently structured; 3)
provide the student with a place to work and access to
individuals and/or settings as appropriate to the practicum
objectives; 4) communicate with the Associate Program
Director at the University of Toronto if any problems arise
or if assistance with any aspect of the practicum is needed;
and 5) submit an Evaluation Form which is based on the goals
originally agreed upon.

Renumeration
We urge agencies to offer students a stipend for their work.
The actual amount of the stipend will vary with the
resources of the agency. We recommend that such renumeration
range from $500- $1500 per month over the course of the
practica. We realize that such a stipend may not always be
possible.

Procedures for Obtaining a Health Promotion Practicum
Placement
If you are interested in providing an experience for a
student for either of these practica:

Step I: Identify an appropriate person in your agency who
could supervise the student.

Step II: Identify appropriate tasks(s), project(s), inquiry
issue(s) for the student and describe these on the
application form.

Step III: Send the attached form, as soon as possible, to:
Dennis Raphael, Associate Director
Masters of Health Science Program in Health Promotion
University of Toronto, McMurrich Building
Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, FAX:  416-978-2087
E-Mail address:  [log in to unmask]

Step IV: Based upon the information provided by the agency,
students will explore potential practicum opportunities with
the designated agency contact person. At this point, the
agency has the option of continuing or not continuing to be
a potential practicum site.

Thank you very much for your interest in our program.
Please feel free to contact either the Associate  Director,
 Dennis Raphael, at (416) 978-7567 or the Program Director,
Ilze Kalnins at (416)  978-7515 if  you have any questions
or concerns related to the practica.

Sincerely,

Dennis Raphael, Associate Director
MHSc Program in Health  Promotion

***********************************************************

APPLICATION FORM FOR PLACEMENT STUDENTS

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
MHSC PROGRAM IN HEALTH PROMOTION

NAME OF AGENCY:

ADDRESS:

POSTAL CODE:

AGENCY PLACEMENT SUPERVISOR:

PERSON'S TITLE:

PHONE:

FAX:

E-Mail:

PRACTICUM REQUESTED:

PRACTICUM I:

PRACTICUM II:

RENUMERATION:

NONE:

POSSIBLY:

DEFINITELY:

DESCRIPTION OF AGENCY:








DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:










Please return to:
Dennis Raphael, Associate Director,
MHSc in Health Promotion
University of Toronto,
McMurrich Building, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8
FAX: 416-978-2087
e-mail: [log in to unmask]