All students must meet academic, social, and health requirements before they can attend a site for field placement.

In order for the School of Interdisciplinary Programs and Community Studies at Mohawk College to proceed placing students in Field Placement Experiences, students must have been successful in passing all of the prerequisites required to enter their Field Placements. In addition to this, students must demonstrate good physical, mental health and wellness in order to participate in the field component of the program, including compliance with Mohawk College’s Student Behaviour Policy. Subject to accommodation as required by law, any student who has an active drug addiction and/or discloses personal information about behaviours which pose a risk to the safety or well-being of the student or others will not be offered a field/clinical placement. Students must be free from substance abuse for a period of two years or until they can produce documentation that their health and wellness has improved for a period reasonable in the circumstances. The final decision to proceed in placing a student in Field Placements rests with the academic Associate Dean.

Student Behaviour Policy

A Mohawk College student has the right to experience, and the responsibility to demonstrate, respectful and dignified interactions within all our living, learning and working communities. These expectations are described in the Student Behaviour Policy. This policy is applicable to both in person and online learning environments, in the classroom and while completing Field Placements. For more information, please click here.

Social/Professional Requirements

All students within the program are expected to consistently demonstrate Social/Professional behaviours (see Field Placement Evaluations) that are typical of those expected by employers. If, in the opinion of program faculty, a student has failed to demonstrate appropriate behaviours prior to the beginning of a placement the college may refuse to offer a placement for that semester.

Health & Non-Medical Requirements

In the interest of the student and the placement agency, students are required to submit documentation that they have completed preplacement medical and non-medical requirements including many routine vaccinations. Requirements are submitted to Preplacement Services at Mohawk College before the student can be eligible to attend field placement.

ABS Students complete a variety of Non-academic Preplacement Requirements before beginning placement including; Vulnerable Sector Police Check, Tuberculin Skin Test, FIRE & WHMIS, AODA & Workplace Harassment and Workplace Violence, Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps, COVID-19 Vaccination, Immunizations (Hepatitis B, Varicella, Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, as well as Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis).

If your agency requires students to complete additional preplacement requirements, please connect with the Field Placement Specialist before students are matched with your placement site.

Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training (NVCI)

Prior to attending field placement, all students must have completed the NVCI certificate course. It is important to note that although students will have this training, students should not and are not expected to manage challenging/interfering behaviour.

Conflict of Interest

Conflict of interest may arise in several situations that may present with a placement agency. The following situations may constitute a conflict of interest and required discussion with the FPS, the FPC and/or the Associate Dean prior to the start of field placement.

Field Mentor and Student with an Existing Relationship:

When an employee within an agency also has a pre-existing relationship with a student, either through family or friendship, this relationship may jeopardize the Field Mentor’s professional judgement and objectivity. Therefore, a student cannot receive, either directly or indirectly, mentorship from a family member or a friend if that person has formal responsibilities within the organization. A student can only be placed in an organization employing a student’s relative or friend if the person is not contributing to the evaluation of the student, either directly or indirectly, and specific permission is given by the Field Placement Coordinator.

Student as Consumer of Service:

A student will not be permitted to do their field placement at an agency if that student or that student’s immediate family has been a consumer of services of the organization within the past year (12 months).

Employment at the Field Placement Agency:

Students are not permitted to complete their field placement at an agency in which they have been employed; either full time or part time during the past year. Students also may not work at their field placement agency while completing the field placement course (including holidays, weekends, etc.). If an agency wishes to hire a student for employment during this time period, it is highly encouraged that the employee/employer relationship begins once the student has met and completed field placement course requirements.

Dual Relationships:

While we appreciate that student’s establish professional rapport with families, caregivers and/or clients, students are not advised to share their personal contact information with individuals they meet through a field placement opportunity. Students are encouraged to establish and maintain professional boundaries with past or present clients and/or families supported through placement opportunities to avoid dual relationships.