OSYS has revealed to me the truth about the prevalence of unhoused youth in Edmonton. Hearing our youth members' stories has taught me about true strength, courage, and determination. It is a privilege to work with these incredible kids and provide them with a safe and non-judgmental space. -Sarah Jorristma, Nursing Practicum Student, University of Alberta

Our practicum spots are currently full! ​Please check back in later. (Updated November 2024)

Our team comes from diverse educational and experiential backgrounds, and we're excited to bring students on board! As a student, you can expect to get well-rounded experience while working alongside frontline staff. Here are some things you can look forward to: 

Duties (non-comprehensive): 

• Students will be expected to participate in staff meetings, team debriefs, critical incident debriefs (when necessary), and potentially meetings with other organizations,
• Complete daily logs and critical incident reports (when necessary),
• Participate and assist in facilitating daily drop-in activities, such as game nights. When workshops happen, students are invited to join,
• Be open to learning about the philosophy of harm reduction and how it applies to a youth drop-in centre,
• Engage with youth in group and 2-on-1 (alongside a staff member and one youth),
• Participate in educational and productive conversations, such as about safer sex, safer drug use, housing, or employment, 
• Assist with referrals or resource-sharing, familiarize themselves with the resources in Edmonton and the organizations we collaborate with,
• Help staff with completing forms, such as income support or treatment applications,
• Be present for and occasionally assist with de-escalation or crisis intervention. Please note, students will never be asked to participate in de-escalation or crisis intervention directly but will be delegated tasks such as shutting doors or locking down parts of the building with other staff,
• Work alongside staff to meet youth needs when necessary, such as replacing ID or opening a bank account,
• Deliver nonjudgmental, trauma-informed care,
• Adhere to our Code of Conduct and Policies and Procedures. 

Please note:
All students will need to participate in an interview prior to reaching a decision prior to a placement. All students will need to submit current police and intervention record checks. 

Advisors:
If the facility you work for has never collaborated with OSYS before, let's chat! Please fill out the form to arrange a meeting with the Program Coordinator to discuss placement details.