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 is Jan. 13 at 8 a.m. for Winter 2020 courses.

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 and must be submitted by Jan. 13 for Winter 2020 courses.

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

The Placement Info & Agreement Form must be filled out with your placement supervisor and submitted to the appropriate dropbox for each of your CSL courses by Jan. 31 for Winter 2020 courses.

This form is found in the Community Service Learning (CSL) folder in your CSL course page on MyLearningSpace. 

If your placement is at a Waterloo Region public school, you will be completing a Waterloo Region District School Board form rather than the Placement Info & Agreement 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 you have called ahead and missed a week at your placement for a valid reason such as an illness, then you need to try to make-up for that missed week. You do this by asking your supervisor if it is possible to make up for that absence. You could do this by serving for an extra week at the end of the placement period, by serving for an extra session during a particular week, or by serving for a few more hours on a particular visit. This needs to be based on the need and ability of the Community Partner to accommodate you. If they can’t use you for an extra session or hours, then you don’t need to make it up. All of this, however, needs to be recorded in the attendance notes on Navigator i.e. the date of absence and reason, the date that it is made up, or the reason that it was not made up, and it all needs to be reviewed and verified by your supervisor.

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.

• 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.