Independent Project Presentation Sheet Academic Year 2019-2020 - - PDF document

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Independent Project Presentation Sheet

Academic Year 2019-2020 Summary:

• 1. Characteristics and academic objectives
• 2. Validation steps and requirements
• 3. Schedule of deadlines
• 4. Practical information

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• 1. Characteristics and academic objectives:
• The Independent Project is undertaken in the context of the Undergraduate College’s Civic

Learning Program and constitutes a compulsory component of undergraduate study in Year 2 with three associated ECTS credits. It is a requirement of the Bachelor Degree.

• This project builds upon the experience of the civic internship in Year 1. The Independent

Project is based upon real-life, on the ground experience; its aim being to encourage students to deepen their reflection on the citizenship theme they have chosen to explore (education, employment, environment, justice, health, etc.).

• Missions should be mainly in the service of, and in contact with, the people it is intended to

benefit, as part of an accompaniment at close proximity. They occur outside of the Sciences Po campuses and require active participation in the design and implementation – or implementation only - of a civic project with a social purpose. This may involve social inclusion, social assistance, guidance & support, education, preventive action or awareness-raising activities carried out by the host institution. The Independent Project does not include religious, political, or union engagements. Examples of missions include: promoting social inclusion via cultural, sporting or employment support activities, conducting environmental awareness workshops with children or reading workshops with the elderly, undertaking street outings to assist the homeless, etc.

• The Independent Project is an in-person service experience that takes place on-site within a

single non-profit, community service, or social interest organisation (e.g. public bodies, NGOs, charities and charitable foundations, associations under the 1901 law and declared at the prefecture - including Sciences Po permanent and recognized student associations -, etc.) with the necessary guidance and support provided by an internship supervisor from the host

• rganisation.
• The form of the Independent Project is chosen by the student from among one of two options:

An individual project which involves the student selecting either an organisation with an established partnership with Sciences Po or an organisation without any such partnership, in which the civic mission (in the form of work experience, volunteer work, or a fixed-term employment contract) is carried out (within the framework of an internship agreement, or under a contract of reciprocal engagement if an internship contract cannot be established, or under an employment contract). The internship offers proposed by the Civic Learning Program partner institutions are posted on the Sciences Po Careers Service website (clicking on “Internship 2nd Year - Individual Independent Project”).

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A collective project involving a small number of students participating in a civic mission designed by a Civic Learning Program partner institution, in collaboration with the Undergraduate College, on the basis of a call for applications issued by Sciences Po. This project is defined and delimited within a collective project agreement established by Sciences Po with the host institution.

• The Independent Project requires a minimum engagement of 75 hours on a continuous basis

throughout the academic year, from 2 September 2019 to 30 June 2020, including week-ends and the inter-semester period. This project takes place outside of class and must be developed in the long-term with as much regular involvement as possible (ideally 3-6 hours per week).

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• In all cases, the independent project requires a detailed presentation beforehand (as part of an
• nline declaration), which is studied and validated by your campus’ pedagogical teams.
• 2. Validation steps and requirements:

Step 1. You will be asked to declare your Independent Project online between July 5, and the deadline of October 14, 2019: . If it is an individual project: in your Student workspace, click on “Internship 2nd Year Individual Independent Project”;

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. If it is a collective project: please make an appointment with your Civic Learning Program Coordinator on your campus in order to outline your project in detail. You will then be required to fill out a Google Form. Step 2. Academic validation and administrative follow-up: Once your Independent Project online declaration has been validated, your campus coordinator for the Civic Learning Program will inform you of all the essential steps to be taken and the documents to be drawn up before your mission begins, depending on its type: internship, volunteer work, a fixed- term employment contract or a collective project agreement. In the event of non-validation of your Independent Project online declaration, if the proposed mission does not comply with the specifications of the Civic Learning Program or if information is missing from the declaration, your campus coordinator for the Civic Learning Program will contact you to request further information or arrange a meeting. Step 3. Once your Independent Project is completed, and to obtain final validation (with 3 ECTS credits attributed), you must submit online, in the Civic Learning Program workspace, under the heading “4. The (mandatory) Independent Project”, between May 4, and July 13, 2020, the following documents: . A Critical Reflection of 2 to 3 pages (c.f. The writing guidelines will be available online shortly). . An Evaluation Form to be completed, signed and stamped by your host organisation. These two documents form part of your workbook for the Civic Learning Program, which already contains your letter of engagement as well as your critical reflection and evaluation form which refer to the civic internship. The objective of this workbook is to accompany your reflection, learning process and the implementation of your project over the three years. This workbook will help you prepare the Capstone project. . A copy of your Payslip for independent projects conducted under fixed-term employment contracts.

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Important details:

• An Independent Project started and carried out without validation of your online declaration by

your campus coordinator for the Civic Learning Program cannot be accepted retrospectively. The 3 ECTS credits will therefore not be attributed.

• An Independent Project cannot be validated if the documents attesting to its completion

(Independent Project Report, evaluation form completed by the host organisation tutor, copy of payslip) are not submitted on time or if they do not conform to the academic requirements outlined in the specifications of the Civic Learning Program.

• The independent project can be realized in the host structure where the 1st year civic internship

was carried out.

• Student associations may be associated with the Year 2 Independent Project under the

following and cumulative conditions: a) If the association is declared at the Prefecture, created under the law of 1 July 1901 and has a judicial statute; b) If the field experiences that they offer are in every respect consistent with the civic independent project guidelines (see the civic independent project presentation sheet); c) If the tutor is not an Undergraduate College student and is a confirmed and active member of the host organisation and is familiar with the activity conducted by the Undergraduate College student who undertakes a civic engagement project; d) If students who undertake civic independents projects are not legal representatives

• f the host organisation.
• 3. Schedule of deadlines:

Important stages and documents to be submitted Start date End date Online declaration of Independent Project July 5, 2019 October 14, 2019 Submission of the critical reflection; the evaluation form completed by the host organisation tutor and, where applicable, a copy of the payslip if a fixed-term employment contract was signed. May 4, 2020 July 13, 2020

• 4. Practical information:

Independent projects offers are updated on the Sciences Po Careers website Feel free to send us at parcourscivique.paris@sciencespo.fr your questions regarding your search for Year 2 Independent projects and your Civic Learning Program projects.