In keeping with our applied approach to social and policy studies this Department has a strong voluntary work placement scheme. Our students have found their voluntary work experiences to be highly valuable. Through them they contribute to real world situations linked to their subject of interest. In many cases such involvement has enabled students to maintain a relationship with the organisation, by becoming a topic for their dissertation or a continued working relationship. Placements ground a student's experience, provide confidence and immeasurably bolster a CV.
Work placements are encouraged for Sociology and Politics students. Last year students successfully completed varying placements including working in Simon Hughes consistency office (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) and a placement at the European Parliament in Brussels. Academic staff actively develop their networks with external organisations to enable placement opportunities.
Our criminology programme also has a strong voluntary work scheme. Students are encouraged to undertake voluntary work in a variety of criminal justice related agencies. Recent positions have been within the police service, the prison service, legal advice, victim support, domestic violence and child abuse agencies and youth offending and youth mentoring schemes.
Our social policy students have taken up work placements at Chance UK (a unique early intervention mentoring organisation who provide adult volunteer mentors to work with children aged 5-11 years at risk of developing anti-social behaviour in later life); Kairos in Soho (a pan-London LGBT Community Development Organisation); the Naz project London (a sexual health organisation that works to mobilise Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities in relation to HIV and other sexual health concerns); Richmond Advice and Information on Disability (RAID); and Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) one of the UK's largest charities and voluntary organisations who aim to give older people the opportunity and choice to get more out of life.
