Frequently Asked Questions

Placements are typically two hours per week, every week from the second week of classes to the final week of classes unless specified otherwise.

If you are in two CSL courses you may do one placement for approximately three hours a week. If you are in three CSL courses you may do one placement for approximately four hours a week.

You must inform your CSL Coordinator during the signup process if you would like to do one placement for multiple courses. This is subject to approval — the placement must be appropriate for all of the courses and be able to accommodate you for the extra time.

CSL staff will post instructions on MyLearningSpace before sign-up day, and will be visiting classes during the first week to explain the sign-up process.

See How to Sign Up for a Community Service-Learning (CSL) Placement for step-by-step instructions. 

Sign-up dates and times may differ for each CSL course.

Only your CSL Coordinator can change your placement after you have signed up. If you have already been in contact with a placement supervisor, you need to let them know that you have dropped the course or that you have changed placement. Make sure to thank them for the opportunity.

Yes, but it must meet certain criteria. Self-initiated placements are intended for students who are already working/volunteering with a relevant organization or need a placement outside of Kitchener-Waterloo or Brantford. This is subject to approval by your CSL Coordinator.

See How to Submit a Self-Initiated Community Service-Learning (CSL) Placement for step-by-step instructions.

If your placement is at a Waterloo Region public school, you will be completing a Waterloo Region District School Board form.

Log in to Navigator every week and create an attendance report, whether you attended your placement or not. Then, email your attendance report to your supervisor using the email feature. See How to Enter Attendance Records for a Community Service-Learning (CSL) Placement for step-by-step instructions.

CSL Staff will monitor your attendance throughout the term. Your professor will review your attendance at the end of the semester to determine if you have met the expectations for your CSL placement. All of your attendance records must be approved by your supervisor.

It means that your placement supervisor hasn’t approved the attendance record. You can try re-sending it and reminding your supervisor that they need to use the link in the emails to approve your reports. If your attendance is “declined,” speak with your supervisor. You may have made a mistake and need to re-submit it for approval.

Your placement should be locked into your calendar/schedule, just like a class or a work shift. You should only miss your placement for a valid reason such as illness/injury, and you must call in sick before your placement is set to begin if possible.

Studying for an exam, having class/work at the same time, or social events are not valid reasons for an absence. If you repeatedly miss your placement for invalid reasons or you do not call ahead to inform of illness, you risk not meeting CSL and course expectations.

If the program is cancelled or you are otherwise told by your placement supervisor not to attend a certain session, then you don’t usually need to make up that session. This missed session and the reason for it needs to be recorded in your attendance on Navigator and verified by your placement supervisor. If it looks like you are going to miss two or more sessions due to program cancellation, contact your CSL Coordinator, as you may need to make other arrangements.

If you miss two or more sessions of your placement for whatever reason, you need to contact your CSL Coordinator. We will work with you, your community partner, and your professor to help you complete your placement or, if it looks like you won’t be able to complete it, make recommendations to drop the course.

Don’t wait to contact us – do it right away so that we know what is going on and, if necessary, can help get things back on track.

If you are having issues that you aren’t sure how to deal with, whether it is with your supervisor or a client, or you aren’t comfortable with the work you are being asked to do or don’t understand something, contact your CSL Coordinator or Lisa Jarvis, Manager of Community and Workplace Partnerships. We will work with you, the community partner, and your professor to address the issue.

Students are responsible for all costs associated with their placement. While it is rare there are costs associated with placements, expenses such as bus/taxi fare, parking, etc. are not covered by our office. We do our best to indicate in a posting if there is an associated cost with a placement. If necessary, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves or masks should be provided by your placement organization.

• Actively reflect on course content while at your placement.
• Research the organization before you meet with them. Most organizations, even schools, have websites. Your community partner will be impressed if you know about them and their work, their history, the people they serve, etc. It will make the work you do with them and the associated coursework more meaningful.
• Treat your placement as if it were a job. Be punctual, reliable, polite, and professional at all times.
• Dress appropriately for the work environment. If you haven’t been told or are unsure, then ask!
• Do all of the associated coursework and reflections. Be willing and able to share information on your course and learning with your community partner if they are interested.
• Reach out for assistance if you need it. Talk to your placement supervisor, your CSL coordinator, or your professor if things aren’t going well.
• Remember that the experience and skills you gain and the connections you make with people can be used on your resume or on applications (job, volunteer, or educational) in the future.
• Give your all to the organization. Leave a positive and lasting legacy for them!

A couple weeks before your placement is set to end, remind your placement supervisor of when your last visit will be. Over the last couple weeks, take the opportunity to say good-bye to and also to thank those you have worked with for the opportunity to serve with them.

In most cases, students will still be able to complete placements, projects, job shadows and other experiences coordinated through the Community & Workplace Partnerships office in Fall 2020. If the course involves a placement component we expect that most opportunities for the Fall 2020 term will be remote.  Where it is appropriate and safe, placements that are offered on-site may be posted for your course.

If you are doing an in-person placement, the partner organization must provide you with health and safety training specific to their workplace. You should not engage in any potentially hazardous activity at your placement prior to receiving their specific training.  You will complete a Safety Orientation Checklist before you begin your placement.

No student is compelled to attend an in-person placement. Students can work with their coordinator and/or their placement partner to determine the best option for them.

For all CWP courses using a placement model of engagement remote options will be posted for your course in addition to in-person placements.  Students will select a placement that they are comfortable with.  We will also accept both remote and in-person self-initiated opportunities for most courses that have a placement component.

Students have the right to refuse work if they believe that the workplace is unsafe. If a student finds themselves in an unsafe situation or hazardous condition, they should not proceed with that work and should immediately report the hazard to their placement supervisor. If the student has addressed this situation with the placement supervisor, and still feels unsafe, the student should immediately stop work and notify their placement coordinator at Laurier, who will assist the student in navigating the work refusal.

For unpaid placements, there is no specific coverage related to COVID-19, but students will be covered if the placement is insured under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). If the placement employer is in Ontario and does not have WSIB, there will be workplace injury coverage through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MOU), but not for infectious disease, such as COVID-19.

Students need to understand that this may be a risk that is assumed when accepting a placement. Some placements will not have WSIB coverage, and alternative insurance coverage may need to be arranged.

Please note information regarding insurance for unpaid placements may change frequently and we will update as we receive updates from Health and Safety as well as Legal departments at Laurier.

Yes, students with documented disabilities are required to register with Accessible Learning per policy 2.3 Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities.  Students are encouraged to register in advance of the start of term by submitting their documentation and application via the registration link below.  Students will meet with an accommodation consultant to formulate an accommodation plan that considers their practicum/ placement requirements. 

If there is an outbreak at your placement location, you will need to work with the placement and Laurier to determine if it is safe and appropriate for you to continue in the placement. No student will be required to continue to attend an in-person placement. If you want to continue and the agency has determined that it is safe for you and the people they serve to continue, Laurier will not prevent you from continuing with the placement. The placement location always has the right to end a placement if they determine that continuing is not appropriate for you or the people they serve.

If an outbreak or other situation forces the placement partner to end or pause your placement, CWP staff will work with you and your professor to determine how you will meet your courses requirements.  In planning for in-person placements, we have already determined with professors what options students will have if they can no longer attend. Some of these include:

• You will move to a remote or virtual placement if the partner can offer it
• You will complete an academic assignment
• Depending on how many hours you have completed at the time the placement is ended, it may be determined that you have already met requirements

The standards for PPE vary based on the placement, the type of services provided by the placement, and the hazards present during the students course of work. If the placement site requires any PPE in addition to the standard cloth mask required in all indoor settings, they are required to provide the necessary PPE for you to be safe in their setting.

This will depend on the placement location. Some organizations are requiring testing before beginning a placement, and/or every two weeks. You will need to follow up with the placement to determine their specific requirements, which could change over the term of your placement.

Yes, if you contract COVID-19 at your placement you need to report this to your placement supervisor, and follow the protocols established at your placement site. You will also need to inform your coordinator at Laurier so that we can complete any further reporting for WSIB or insurance purposes. Your placement partner will then work with Laurier on addressing this issue.