The search for a practicum opportunity can at times be anxiety-inducing. It is important to realize that it is not uncommon, depending on your area, to have to apply to upwards of 30+ sites to secure one spot. It takes hard work. Not securing a spot does not necessarily mean that you are doing anything wrong. It is also a matter of fit, availability and timing.
For this reason, the way you approach your search is critical. You should absolutely be tracking your search with dates, notes, and other important details. This will allow you to reflect on what you have accomplished so far, provide direction and focus, and help you to time your follow up. For sites that have their own application dates, your tracking sheet will ensure you don’t overlook applying on time. We have provided a tracking sheet for you to use. This resource was developed by the YU Field Training team based on our experience and knowledge about the practicum search process and the type of information that is necessary for students to track.
Try hard not to feel discouraged if your initial attempts are not successful. Remind yourself this is a process that requires persistence and a positive attitude. However, if you find that after contacting 30+ sites you have no success, it may be time to check in with your Practicum Advisor to review your situation. Please be aware, one of the first things your Practicum Advisor will ask for is a copy of your up-to-date tracking sheet, cover letter and resume. This will be important information for them to have in order to assist you.
Yorkville University’s MACP Practicum Portal Site Locator is a list of sites that have previously hosted Yorkville students and have indicated they are willing to have their agency or organization be approached by future students seeking placement. It is possible that some of these sites no longer meet current practicum site requirements; or, are not able to offer placements in a particular trimester.
We encourage students to do their own research beyond the sites that are listed, as this is not an exhaustive list. While we work hard to provide students with the most recent and up-to-date contact information for the sites on the list, we also recognize that site information and the site’s ability to accept a student does change from time to time without our knowledge. If you encounter this, please send an email to [email protected] so that we can update the contact information immediately.
As you are researching for potential practicum sites, be sure to read site and supervisor requirements in the Practicum Guide for Students.
There are several organizations — in particular, health authorities — which require the university to apply on the student’s behalf. Generally, they will identify this on their website. Should you encounter this, please contact the Department of Field Training at [email protected]. You will also find information about some of the more common umbrella sites we currently work with (such as Alberta Health Services, Island Health Authority, Interior Health Authority, Ministry of Child and Family Development, Vancouver Coastal Health) below.
It is extremely important students do not circumvent the application process established by the organization by making their own practicum arrangements with an individual employee of the organization. Even if a student is an employee of the organization, or has contacts with individuals who work for the organization and the contact offers the student a practicum placement, students must still follow the organization’s application procedures and contact Field Training at [email protected] to apply on their behalf. At that time, students can provide Field Training staff with any information or contacts they may have related to their preferred placement site(s) within the organization and we will do our best to advocate on the student’s behalf.
These organizations have a formal affiliation agreement with YU that requires us to follow their application process. This ensures the organization is fully aware of all students completing a practicum within their organization and that Yorkville’s liability and workplace accident insurance coverage is not compromised. If a student does not follow the appropriate application process, Field Training will not be able to approve the student’s Practicum Application. The student will have to defer their practicum until the following trimester in order to give Field Training the opportunity to officially submit the application to the organization in the appropriate manner.
Please Note: Yorkville University does not have affiliation agreements with Fraser Health Authority OR with Nova Scotia Health Authority. These health authorities do not want students contacting any of their sites. Students are advised to seek practicum opportunities elsewhere.
You can download a copy of the HSPnet Consent Form here for sites that require one:
For students who want to apply for a practicum with any of the sites under the umbrella of the Interior Health Authority (IHA), the initial request must be made by the university on behalf of the student. IHA does not want students contacting sites or their Clinical Student Placement officer/coordinator directly.
All required documentation for an IHA application must be received by the following deadlines:
To apply, begin by completing the HSPnet Consent Form provided at the beginning of the Agencies and Health Authorities section. Send your completed form and an up-to-date resume / cover letter (as one document) to [email protected], with your intended practicum start date. Include a list of the IHA sites (with geographical location) you wish to apply to in order of preference as Interior Health only accepts one application at a time.
Once Field Training (FT) submits your application to IHA you will receive a confirmation email. It can take several weeks to receive the decision from the Interior Health Authority. Students may or may not be contacted directly for an interview, but formal acceptance will come from the HSPnet program via the university. Please keep in mind that only a small percentage of Interior Health Authority applicants actually secure a practicum, so it is important to continue searching and considering other practicum opportunity options while you wait.
Please Note: If you are successful in obtaining a practicum with Interior Health a Police Information Check, immunizations and further training will be required before you can begin practicum.
For students who want to apply for a practicum with any of the sites under the umbrella of the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), the initial request must be made by the university on behalf of the student through the HSPnet system. VCH does not want students contacting sites or their Student Placement Coordinator directly to arrange placement.
All required documents for a VCH application must be received by the following deadlines:
The VCH coordinator will send Yorkville student applications to potential sites shortly after these deadlines, but no earlier. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Students should specify which program they would like to apply to: adult mental health, addictions or child and youth mental health. Applications are sent as fan-out requests to all accepting sites. To apply, please submit your resume, tailored cover letter and a completed HSPnet consent form to [email protected].
Please Note: If you are successful in obtaining a practicum with Vancouver Coastal Health a Police Information Check, immunizations and further training will be required before you can begin practicum.
For students who want to apply for a practicum with any of the sites under the umbrella of the Island Health Authority (IHA/VIHA), the initial request must be made by the university on behalf of the student through the HSPnet system. IHA / VIHA does not want students contacting sites or their Student Placement Coordinator directly. Also note, the IHA/VIHA gives priority to students studying at a university in British Columbia.
All required documents for an IHA application must be received by the following deadlines:
Important Note: Absolutely no extensions will be given.
To apply, begin by completing the HSPnet Consent Form. Send your completed form plus an up-to-date resume / cover letter (as one document) to [email protected], with your intended practicum start date. Include a list of specific IHA / VIHA sites / programs (with geographical location) you wish to apply to in order of preference as Island Health only accepts one application at a time.
Once Field Training (FT) submits your application to IHA / VIHA you will receive a confirmation email. It can take several weeks to receive a decision from the IHA. Please keep in mind that only a small percentage of Island Health Authority applicants secure a practicum, so it is important to continue searching and considering other practicum opportunity options while you wait.
Please Note: If you are successful in obtaining a practicum with the Island Health Authority a Police Information Check, immunizations and further training will be required before you can begin practicum.
For students who want to apply for a practicum with any of the sites under the umbrella of the MCFD for the Child and Youth Mental Health Program only, the initial request must be made by the university on behalf of the student. Please be aware that practicum opportunities with the CYMH program are highly competitive and you are advised to seek practicum opportunities elsewhere as well.
The MCFD suggests applying for practicum positions at least 6 months in advance. Some sites in highly-populated areas (Vancouver Island, Fraser, and Coast/North Shore) will accept applications up to 18 months before the intended start date. There is no firm deadline, but applications close when spaces are filled.
To apply, begin by emailing [email protected] stating the date you hope to begin your practicum and supplying a list of geographical locations in which are you interested. Please include the following documents:
Once Field Training (FT) submits your application to the MCFD and you will receive a confirmation email. A Field Education Consultant (FEC) from the MCFD will be in touch with you. Please note that it may take some time to receive a response, as FECs must canvass the team leaders in the areas you are applying for to determine if there is an available supervisor/ if they have the capacity to host a student for the identified term. If both these conditions are met, the FEC will refer students for selection interviews.
Please note: the MCFD has a specific Criminal Record Check program that students must complete with the FEC for their area if offered a practicum spot. RCMP or regional CRCs are not accepted. The FEC for your area will help you complete this requirement.
Yorkville University’s MACP degree program is officially recognized by a number of regulatory bodies and professional associations across the country and outside of Canada (see below).
The criteria for certification, registration or membership among the different regulatory bodies and professional associations varies. Therefore, the Department of Field Training recommends that you make yourself fully aware of the criteria of the regulatory body or professional association you wish join post-graduation, as these requirements may differ from the YU practicum requirements.
While you are an MACP student, we also recommend that you inquire directly with the various professional associations about the benefits of obtaining a student membership. The number and variety of benefits available to students will vary among associations, and you will want to be associated with the association that offers benefits that are the most relevant to your professional development, at this time.
Before you secure a practicum placement, it is very important that you self-inform about a regulatory body’s or professional association’s credential requirements for practicum site supervisors. It is your responsibility to ensure you secure a practicum site supervisor who has the credentials required by the regulatory body or professional association you wish to be affiliated with after graduation. It may be that a practitioner meets the YU eligibility criteria for being a practicum site supervisor but does not meet requirements for the supervision required to ensure you can become a member of a particular regulatory body or professional association.
In addition, it is equally very important that you self-inform about a regulatory body’s or professional association’s supervision requirements before you secure a practicum placement. What these are, and how they are applied, vary slightly from organization to organization, and may differ from YU practicum requirements (please see the relevant section of the Practicum Information Guide for the YU requirements). It is your responsibility to check directly with the regulatory body or association in which you are interested, to determine what they require for supervision.
You will want to make sure you are fully informed so that you will be able to maximize any supervision opportunities you may have during your practicum. For some regulatory bodies or professional associations, you will be able to use the hours of supervision acquired during practicum toward your registration or membership application, while for others you may not. In the case of the former, you will want to make sure that you acquire as many qualifying supervision hours as possible from your YU approved site supervisor during your practicum.
As of April 2015, the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario recognizes the MACP program offered by Yorkville University. To qualify for registration with the College, individuals applying for membership must have completed a program of education and training in psychotherapy that has allowed them to develop the required entry-to-practice competencies. Yorkville’s MACP degree was one of the first four programs recognized and listed on the CRPO website. See the CRPO website for more information.
The MACP degree meets the academic requirements set out by the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists (NSCCT). Graduates of Yorkville University’s MACP program are eligible to apply for candidacy and upon meeting the requirements of the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists (NSCCT), will be eligible for licensure as a Registered Counselling Therapist under the Counselling Therapist Act of Nova Scotia. See the NSCCT website for more information.
The MACP degree meets the academic requirements set out by the College of Counselling Therapists of New Brunswick (CCTBN). Graduates of Yorkville University’s MACP program are eligible to apply to become a Licenced Counselling Therapist-Candidate (LCT-C) and upon meeting the requirements of the CCTBN, will be eligible for licensure as a Licenced Counselling Therapist (LCT) under the Licensed Counselling Therapy Act of New Brunswick. See the CCTNB website for more information.
Yorkville University graduates from the Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP) program are eligible to become members of CPA. See the CPA website for more information.
The MACP program is approved by TQS for increased teacher certification.
MACP graduates with relevant work experience are eligible to apply for various certifications after completing an exam.
Completing a practicum in place of employment is considered a last resort. It is possible to apply to complete practicum in a student’s place of employment if both the site and proposed practicum supervisor meet the necessary YU eligibility criteria, and the employer is agreeable.
For those of you applying to complete practicum in your current place of employment, please remember that an organizational chart is required. This document is part of your Practicum Application and must be scanned with all the other forms for submission.
For those of you applying to complete practicum in your current place of employment, please remember to read and follow the guidelines provided in the Practicum Guide for Students. As well, the Workplace Application Form is required to be completed for additional review by the Field Training department.
Click above to download YorkvilleU's MACP Practicum Requirement Chart which breaks down practicum hour requirements.
Professional Liability Insurance is required for all practicum students. Insurance coverage should cover the student’s work being performed while in the capacity of a practicum student. Proof of liability insurance documentation must be submitted with the student’s practicum application. Students must maintain a current professional liability insurance policy throughout the practicum.
Many professional associations (Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association; Canadian Psychological Association; Career Professionals of Canada) offer liability insurance coverage as part of student membership. Students may also obtain insurance through private insurance agents.
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