Students
At CMHA, we recognize that student placements are an important component of post-secondary education, and we value the opportunity to support students in their career development.
We offer a variety of student placement opportunities. We believe a student placement at CMHA offers a rich learning experience that not only includes training, mentoring, support, knowledge, and skill development, but also the opportunity to engage with other community services we partner with on a regular basis.
CMHA programs serve a broad demographic including youth, adults and older adults.
Our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) means students experience a practicum environment that values every voice, respects diverse perspectives, and removes barriers to learning. By choosing CMHA, you’ll gain hands-on experience in programs that prioritize cultural safety, equity, and belonging, skills that matter in today’s workforce.
Our student opportunities are in high demand, and we recommend that you make an initial inquiry several months in advance of your actual student placement period whenever possible.
Placement Opportunities
We offer meaningful placement experiences for students enrolled in the following types of programs:
- Addictions Services
- Administration
- Adult Education
- Communications
- Community Mental Health
- Employment
- Fund Development/Donor Relations
- Housing
- Human Resources
- Indigenous Services
- Interdisciplinary Health
- Occupational Therapy
- Project Management
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Psychology
- Research and Evaluation
- Social Services
- Social Work
- Wellness Education
- Youth Services
Eligibility
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree, diploma, or certificate program at a registered post-secondary institution. All student placements require a formalized agreement with the academic institution and a named designate from that institution who is overseeing the student placement experience.
Orientation
Every student will receive a general orientation to our agency in addition to a comprehensive orientation to the program area they are placed in. Students will be informed of general agency policies that they must adhere to while working with CMHA such as our Confidentiality Policy, Respectful Workplace Policy, Accessibility Policy, etc.
Training
As part of their experience with CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg, students may have the opportunity to participate in training and professional development (depending on their program) such as: Motivational Interviewing, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Mental Health First Aid, De-escalating Potentially Violent Situations, Cultural training and other in-house training offered by CMHA.
Placement Periods
Depending on the requirements of your post-secondary program and the capacity of our program services to support a positive student experience, we accommodate students throughout the year. However, we do ask that you complete a general application form or make an inquiry well in advance of your placement period; we are not able to accommodate last-minute student placement requests.
Requirements
The student’s academic institution must be registered and in good standing with the Department of Education and Training. All students are required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement. Students working directly with program participants are required to complete Vulnerable Sector Checks, Adult Abuse Registry Checks, and Child Abuse Registry Checks. At the end of their placement, students complete a Student Feedback Survey.
Request for more information and expression of interest
Please explore our website to learn more about our programs and services. If you would like to learn more about a potential student placement with CMHA, complete the inquiry form below. Please note that this is not a formal student placement application.
Student Experiences
“I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank each of you for making my practicum experience such a meaningful and memorable one. Throughout my time here, I felt welcomed, supported, and inspired to grow both personally and professionally. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to learn from such a talented and compassionate team.”
– Bachelor of Social Work Student
“I am very grateful for my experience as a summer student at CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg. This opportunity introduced me to a wide range of mental health resources and provided valuable learning that will benefit me throughout my studies and future career. I truly enjoyed working at an organization so dedicated to its values and deeply committed to the people it supports. I am thankful to the staff and my supervisor for all that I learned and for making this experience so enjoyable.”
– Honours Degree Student in Psychology
“I am incredibly grateful for my senior practicum experience with CMHA. Authenticity and vulnerability are not just accepted here—they are encouraged and valued. This was exactly the kind of environment I needed, and it had a profound impact on me. More than anything, this practicum helped me find confidence in my own voice. I am leaving this experience feeling more self-assured and hopeful about the kind of workplace culture I want to contribute to as an RPN.”
– Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing Student
Scholarship Opportunity
The Eleanor Pluchinski Memorial Scholarship was established to provide financial support and educational opportunities to individuals with lived experience of mental illness or addiction—recognizing their resilience in recovery and helping break barriers to post-secondary success.
Student Placement Inquiry Form
FAQ
CMHA can provide a variety of student placements including field placements, clinical placements, practicum placements or work placements, depending on the program and the institution’s program requirements. Some placements are as short as three weeks, while others are several months and run an entire academic year from September to April.
Student placements are all unpaid work experiences that support learning and growth of students enrolled in programs for course credit. Occasionally, students have access to grants and funding through mechanisms at their post-secondary institution.
Students who will be working with CMHA program participants directly are required to submit a recent Criminal Record Check completed within the last 6 months at their own expense.
The main office of CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg is located in Winnipeg at 930 Portage Avenue. However, we also deliver services at several sites in Winnipeg and the surrounding area including Selkirk, MB. CMHA also has regional offices that operate out of Swan River and Thompson, MB with additional service sites in those regions.
Some programs work in the community and require students to travel. You will be advised if access to a vehicle or transit is a necessity for the program area you are interested in. If a vehicle is required, mileage or transit costs would be reimbursed.
Upon receiving your completed form, our staff will follow up with you on the next steps. This will be a general conversation about the suitability of CMHA to your learning needs and objectives and a discussion about the placement timeframe. If at that point you would like to formally apply for a student placement, the next steps will be outlined for you. There will be a more formal student interview scheduled.