Retirement Communities Field Placement FAQ

You are eligible to apply for field placement if you have the following:

1. Successful completion of ALL required prerequisite(s) by the placement course start date.
2. Achieved a minimum Program GPA of 2.0.
3. Completed and approved placement paperwork by the posted deadline.

Note: You will be advised via email (sent to your DCMAIL.ca email address) and removed from the placement course if you have not met the above minimum criteria.

• All students wishing to apply for a field placement, must complete the placement request form.
• Placement requests are open approximately six weeks before the paperwork deadline, allowing students to begin submitting paperwork early.
• Some requirements may take longer to receive than anticipated. Students are strongly encouraged to begin collecting these requirements the semester before the placement is to begin.

The following are the documents required for the Retirement Communities Management placement:

• Retirement Communities Field Placement Host Application Form (available only during the posted application timeframe)
• Entry Immunization Form
• Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (valid within six months from the start of the placement term)
• Intermediate First Aid & Level C CPR Certification (formerly called Standard First Aid & Level C CPR)
• Student Declaration of Understanding
• Informed Consent for the Release of Personal Information
• Online Training Module Completion Certificates (accessed via PPL’s Paperwork Modules):
  • Workplace Hazardous Materials Information (WHMIS) Module Completion Certificate
  • Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Module Completion Certificate
  • Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention Module Completion Certificate
  • Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps Module Completion Certificate

Note: All placement paperwork must be uploaded to Synergy Gateway prior to the posted deadline.

• Students will upload their documents to Verified by Synergy Gateway.

• Students can access the Worker Health & Safety Awareness in 4 Steps, WHMIS, AODA and Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention trainings via the DC Connect Paperwork modules.
• Students who have already completed these certificates for previous placements within their program are not required to complete the trainings again.
• Trainings from other sources are not accepted.

• Once the student completes the placement request form, the placement officer will complete an eligibility audit, and if eligible, will add the student to Synergy Gateway.
• Synergy Gateway will send login instructions to the student’s DCMail account.

• The placement in this program must be completed in person only.

• Web registration is not available for field placement courses.
• Students will be registered by the placement officer once the placement request has been submitted and the eligibility audit has been completed. The tuition fee will be added to your student account for payment before the course start date.
• If applicable, final grades from prerequisite courses from the previous semester must also be posted.

• Retirement Communities Field Placement - 80 hours

• Students will arrange a mutually suitable schedule with the host agency/supervisor.
• When arranging their schedule, students must ensure they meet the required number of placement hours by the end date of the course.

• Yes. Students in this program are required to research and secure a suitable placement agency.

• Field placements in this program must be completed within the Province of Ontario.

• Placements must be with an Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA)-accredited retirement home and have the full support and participation of the Executive Director of the home.

• Placements are unpaid learning opportunities.
• Doing your placement where you work is a conflict of interest and is not permitted.
• However, students may have opportunities within their workplace to complete a placement in another department, under a different supervisor. Please contact the field placement officer for more information and whether this option applies to you.

• Students are not permitted to complete a placement experience where they have a relative or familial relationship with anyone with supervisory responsibility at the agency. This would be considered a conflict of interest.

• Field placements are unpaid learning opportunities, and therefore, students are not permitted to accept payment for the field placement experience.

• We encourage students to check DC Connect and your DCMAIL.ca account daily for updates and any important communication.
• Depending on your program and the type of agency you are to be placed with, securing and confirming a placement can take time.
• You will be contacted as soon as your agency has been confirmed and approved.

• No. Students must ensure that they have been officially cleared prior to beginning their hours at the host agency. Clearance will not occur prior to the start date for the placement course.

• Each student will receive official clearance via email to their DCMAIL.ca account only advising them of placement details and official clearance date.
• Students cannot start placement before official clearance is received.

• Please contact the PPL Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) coordinator for eligibility requirements and how to apply here: pplplar@durhamcollege.ca

• Please view the PPL Withdrawals & Refunds Page for details.
• Once registered, withdrawals are subject to a minimum $30 admin fee.