TRS5012 - Professional Development and Placement (Volunteering)

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate the application of religious concepts and theories in the volunteering sector workplace.
Develop further employability skills, including digital skills, and demonstrate reflective evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses across a range of key employability skills.
Apply employability skills in the volunteering workplace and perform to a satisfactory standard.
Write an action plan for developing employability skills.

Content:

A professional development programme comprising:

- Introduction to Professional Development Planning and placements at Level 5

- Workshop sessions including:

- Working in contexts of religious significance and involving application of religious awareness
- Team work
- Assessment centre tasks
- Digital skills development

- Briefings on EPO procedures skills and preparation for attachment/assessment

- Interview with Placement Tutor

- Placement with suitable organisation(s), normally 60 hrs over an extended period (12-20 weeks)

- Reflection and evaluation of the placement.

Learning and Teaching Information:

Learning and teaching takes place through tutor-led discussion amongst placement tutees, and through a day conference and workshop sessions, covering (as may be applicable to specific placement plans): researching future careers (through Prospects website http://www.prospects.ac.uk/); production of curriculum vitae, including instruction on using CV Builder database by members of the Careers Service; practical activities exploring how to get a Placement, advice on the Placement experience and planning for this, blogging and the digital humanities. Individual tutorials with Placement Tutor/Progress Tutor are provided before the placement starts. Students to write a blog while on Placement (to feed into the final Report). A day conference will be held soon after students complete their placements..

Induction meeting
Hours: 2
Intended Group size: 40

Day conference
Hours: 4
Intended Group size: 150

Workshops x 3
Hours: 26
Intended Group size: 40

Tutorial
Hours: 0.5
Intended Group size: 1

Guided independent study
Hours: 37.5
Intended Group size: 1

Work placement
Hours: 150

Further details relating to assessment
It is expected that students will maintain a blog to underpin the reflective Report; the first 5 weeks' diary is important in allowing tutors to assess whether or not a student needs some form of additional support/intervention by the University.

Employers submit their own report on the Placement (P/F) to the EPO for consideration, and this is passed to the tutor supporting the student - this may be shared with student on completion of the module, in order for them to undertake further reflection re their skills for employability. (Employer does/does not give permission for this to happen.)

Students will produce a portfolio consisting of an up-to-date copy of their CV, a career action plan, a sample covering letter, and a digital skills assessment. Further information on portfolio tasks will be given out during the academic year.

The tutor who supported the student on placement normally marks the Placement Report.

Other relevant matters
Workshops will consist of student discussion of preparatory reading, framed and guided by tutor presentations and presentations from EPO and Careers.

Students are encouraged to undertake a placement abroad, if they wish and as long as it is approved by the EPO. The University cannot pay for travel abroad.

Assessment:

001 Portfolio 1500 words equiv. end of semester 1 30%
002 Placement 60hr over a 12-20 week period Pass/Fail 0%
003 Report 3000 words semester 2 70%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Josh Poklad
Level - 5
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 5YL

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