Arora Wellness, Veterinary Social Work

Year 2 Practicum, September 2026 – April 2027

Name of Practicum Site, Unit or Program:

Arora Wellness – Veterinary Social Work

Location:

Remote

Description of the practicum site and student activities:

Organization:

Arora Wellness is a for-profit consulting and education practice that supports animal care professionals working in high-stress, trauma-exposed environments such as veterinary hospitals, shelters, and zoos. The organization focuses on improving professional wellbeing by addressing chronic overload in the field, including burnout, secondary traumatic stress, moral distress, and cumulative grief. This work is delivered through training and education, organizational consulting, and, where appropriate, direct staff support. Grounded in a trauma-informed, nervous system–based approach, Arora Wellness supports individuals and teams in shifting from survival-driven patterns toward more connected, sustainable ways of working.

Practicum Description:

Learning opportunities and responsibilities may include: • Developing resources such as worksheets, toolkits, and blog content for animal care professionals • Contributing to program development (for animal care professionals and organizations) • Auditing and providing feedback on online courses and training materials • Assisting in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of webinars or training sessions, with opportunities to support or co-present • Conducting informational interviews with sector professionals and translating insights into written or video content • Supporting content development for social media and professional communications Through this work, students will build skills in: • Translating complex concepts (e.g., stress, trauma, professional wellbeing) into clear, practical tools and written resources • Supporting the design and development of training programs and educational materials • Developing presentation and facilitation skills in educational and webinar settings • Synthesizing insights from interviews and sector engagement into usable content • Writing for professional audiences across formats (blogs, tools, social content) • Managing projects independently, including prioritization, follow-through, and professional communication This is a primarily virtual placement. In-person opportunities (e.g., trainings, meetings, events) may be available depending on location. Due to the nature of the work and scope of supervision, students should be comfortable working independently and engaging in self-directed learning. While there are no guarantees, a strong practicum experience may lead to part-time opportunities following graduation.

Student activities to develop social work competencies:

Direct Service Delivery/Interventions/Working with Recipients of Service:

-N/A   

Interprofessional collaboration:

☒ Collaborate on organization’s projects             

☒ Attend in-service events

☒ Consult and collaborate with professionals from other disciplines                 

Indirect Service Delivery:

☒ Collect and/or analyze data  

☒ Prepare draft policy/program/grant proposals

☒ Contribute to research and other organizational initiatives     

☒ Develop, plan and implement prevention activities and programs       

Other Activities: Program and curriculum development in professional wellbeing • Knowledge translation (translating research on stress, trauma, and wellbeing into practical tools and training materials) • Webinar planning, facilitation, and evaluation (including opportunities to co-present) • Content development for professional audiences (blogs, worksheets, toolkits, social media) • Contributing to the development of internal frameworks and tools to support teams in high-stress work environments • Conducting and synthesizing informational interviews with sector professionals • Independent project work requiring initiative, accountability, and professional communication in a virtual environment

Practicum Requirements:

The three primary requirements include:

1. A demonstrated connection to the human-animal bond, and human-animal relationships.

2. A self-starter with a proven track record of initiative and ability to thrive working independently.

3. Superior written and oral communication skills.

Please select Fields(s) of Study:

☒ Mental Health and Health

☒ Human Services Management & Leadership

Does your practicum require any previous experience?

See requirements above

Is this practicum in-person, remote or hybrid?

Fully Remote

Will this practicum involve direct work or a mix of direct and indirect?

Indirect

Number of practicums offered:

1

Field Instructor name and credentials:

Angie Arora, BSW, MSW, RSW

Application deadline:

open until filled

Do you require a resume? Or resume and cover letter?

Both

Accessibility Considerations:

• Will the student have access to a private space for notes or computer use?  Click to Select

• Are there breaks between clients/patients/meetings?  Click to Select

• Is the practicum considered fast-paced?  Medium

• Is there a high noise level in the practicum?  Low

• Is the site wheelchair accessible?  Click to Select

• What are the physical demands of the practicum? A significant portion of the practicum will be done virtually through email and computer use.

• Are there any other accessibility considerations that potential applicants with disabilities should be aware of?  

If you are interested in this practicum, please send a resume to alexi.sparaggis@utoronto.ca. Applications will be sent to the site. Please note only students who do NOT have a practicum match yet can apply.