Unit rationale, description and aim
Community engagement is an essential component of effective public health practice. Theoretical aspects are covered in a range of units within the public health curriculum. This unit provides an opportunity for students to explore the practical aspects of community engagement through placement with organisations that enhance the dignity and wellbeing of people and communities, especially those who are the most marginalised and disadvantaged. Students will undertake work in a selected public sector or non-profit community agency/organisation related to Public Health, to explore the role and complexities of the organisation in supporting disadvantaged individuals and families experiencing socially-determined health issues. The aims of this unit are to assist the host organisation to enhance public health; and for students to develop and reflect upon the values of partnership, equality, mutual respect and commitment as well as the degree of transformation that community engagement can offer participants.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain the principles and focus of community enga...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate a knowledge of the mission, aims, obje...
Learning Outcome 02
Identify and address factors that can impact on th...
Learning Outcome 03
Reflect critically upon the personal transformatio...
Learning Outcome 04
Demonstrate an understanding of the importance, po...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
Principles of community engagement
- Respect for human dignity
- Mutuality and reciprocity
- Forging partnerships for transformation
Focus of community engagement
- Local/State
- National
- International
Organisation mission, aims, objectives, functions
- Relevance
- Connections between concepts
Health care professionals in public sector and non-profit organisations
- Roles and functions
- Factors impacting on roles and functions
Volunteerism
- Legal issues
- Ethical issues
- Risk management
- Preparation of student
- Development of learning contract
Values underpinning volunteerism experience related to
- Relationships between staff, clients and families
- Roles and functions of staff and clients
Transformation engendered in student through community engagement experience.
Socially-determined health issues
- Possible causes
- Effect on clients of organization
Building safe and supportive environments working with specific vulnerable populations
Assessment strategy and rationale
Achievement of learning outcomes will be determined by a variety of assessment methods, which will primarily measure the student’s understanding of the discipline specific knowledge inherent in this unit and its application within a professional context.
A learning contract will be developed by the student in conjunction with their placement supervisor to determine specific context relevant learning goals, and associated evidence that will be produced to demonstrate their achievement. This is ungraded, however is a mandatory hurdle that must be approved by the placement coordinator.
A summary of tasks and associated hours will be compiled in a timesheet and uploaded at the conclusion of the placement as proof that the requisite 80 hours have been completed by the student.
A brief table summary task will require students to identify a range of currently advertised positions within the public health field and provide an initial analysis of their own work readiness for the field. The descriptive nature of this assessment, and minimal word count are reflected in the weighting.
Students will undertake a major critical literature review focusing on a public health community issue, which affects a group of people who experience disadvantage or marginalization. Students will prepare a review plan that identifies key sources and topics to be covered, providing an opportunity for formative assessment before submitting the final assessment. The paper will require students to think critically and research the larger social problems that relate to this issue (e.g., structural inequality, a lack of appropriately funded social services), and identify programs or policies that effectively address or relate to this issue. Further, the review will evaluate engagement methods that are shown to be effective when connecting or working with people affected by this issue.
Overview of assessments
Learning Contract: To enable students to focus th...
Learning Contract: To enable students to focus their learning goals during placement
Hurdle
Timesheet: To enable confirmation that student ha...
Timesheet: To enable confirmation that student has undertaken required hours on placement.
Hurdle
Assessment Task 1: Job activity: To enable stude...
Assessment Task 1: Job activity: To enable students to demonstrate basic job search and analysis skills relevant to their sector
10%
Assessment Task 2 Report: To enable students to d...
Assessment Task 2 Report: To enable students to demonstrate their achievements and analysis of the placement experience.
40%
Assessment Task 3 Journal: To enable students to ...
Assessment Task 3 Journal: To enable students to critically reflect on their goals and apply reflection frameworks within community engagement.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is delivered primarily through a work-integrated learning framework, supplemented by face-to-face workshop sessions on campus. The unit uses an active learning approach where activities support students to acquire essential theoretical knowledge in public health community engagement relevant to the specific workplace of their placement. Online content (e.g. readings) via Canvas also support this acquisition. Workshops provide students with the opportunity to apply workplace experiences to broader public health contexts/scenarios, and progressively develop higher level skills of analysis and application of theory in public health community engagement.
Students will be placed in host organisations approved by the ACU Public Health National Professional Practice Coordinator and the campus LIC. Learning and performance will be determined by the University and the appointed fieldwork supervisor through a predefined and monitored set of criteria including skills and outcomes expected to be achieved. The fieldwork will comprise a minimum of 80 hours.