Student Placements
Age UK Wakefield District are proud to work with local Universities to offer student placements and help shape the future of care in our community
You may not know that students complete two placements within their degree programme, a 70 days placement year two and a 120 day placement year three.
Second year 70 day placements are in non-statutory/voluntary sector organisations and Age UK Wakefield District are delighted to offer high quality placements valued by the social care university community, students and the older people in our community we support.
Since our first placement in 2009 we have successfully supported 57 students through their placements. Averaging 3 students per year but with up to 8 in a peak year, we also support students who've experienced a breakdown in previous placements.
Six former placement students have gone on to become staff members at Age UK Wakefield District! We are proud to have supported four to gain the experience for careers in statutory social work, and happily continue to employ two people as valued members of our Connecting Care teams.
How we meet student needs as a placement
Placements follow the Universities Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF). The PCF is the profession-owned, overarching framework of social work education and professional development in England supported by the BASW and forms the evidence base for learning and professional development of undergraduate students in health and social care.
- Professionalism
- Values
- Diversity
- Rights
- Knowledge
- Critical analysis and reflection
- Intervention and skills
At Age UK Wakefield District, students work within frontline teams delivering Connecting Care support and experiencing the wide range of services we offer to older people and their carers. Students can expect a comprehensive induction period, opportunities to shadow professionals in practice, undertake assessments with support and progress to holding their own case work. Regular supervision support and placement planning is provided and we have the continuity of an excellent practice educator who has worked with us from 2009 onwards.
Partnership working with universities
Our first student placement came from a then new realtionship with Huddersfield Unniversity in 2009. From then our programme has grown and we have offered placements from
- Huddersfield University
- Leeds University
- Sheffield University
- Bradford University
- Leeds Beckett University
Why our placements are so successful
- Our wide range of community services which mirror statutory provision in terms of assessment, review and measuring outcomes for individuals.
- Passionate and supportive staff who share their knowledge, experience and professionalism and provide excellent role models and mentors.
- Access to multi-disciplinary working across voluntary and statutory sector providing invaluable experience for future placements and careers.
- Opportunities to develop confidence and communication skills working directly with older people in community and home settings.
Equality and Diversity
The placements for students within Age UK Wakefield District aim to be as inclusive as possible. Students come to us with their own individual circumstances and backgrounds, and it is important to recognise any potential difficulties that may arise for us to be as supportive as possible to help them successfully complete their placement.
Needs of students can be formally recognised and stated within a RAP -Reasonable Adjustment Plan- to support students to complete their placements and to feel supported within their teams and when carrying out lone working.
We have successfully supported students with a range of physical and emotional
health issues including hearing impairment, mental health needs, limited mobility as well as carer responsibilities, by making sensitive and appropriate adjustments.
We support students of different age bands, older students coming from different career paths as well as younger students entering the programme straight from school. Our students represent the breath and diversity of society in terms of
ethnicity and belief systems and self-identity which enriches our workplace and the experience of our service users.
“I just wanted to say thank you so much to the help and support you have given to my mum after her recent heart attack. Your caring and practical advice to her has been invaluable and you have helped restore her confidence and feeling of self-worth as mum has been feeling low. Mum has said how much she looks forward to your visits and enjoys your company very much. Thank you for keeping in touch with me as it has been a difficult time and I am grateful for your advice and kind words. Wishing you every success in your new career”
"I was absolutely delighted with your student- please wish her my best, she will make an excellent social worker."
