Psychology Student Volunteer Work experience projects.
Organisational context:
These projects are sited within the department of Psychological Services for Older People, part of
the NHS specialist mental health services in East Kent, Kent & Medway NHS Partnership Trust.
This service comprises about 20 clinical staff including clinical and counselling psychologists,
psychotherapists and arts therapists. There are also assistant psychologists and staff undertaking
post graduate clinical training placements.
All projects would require students to enrol as volunteers and undergo a CRB check.
Project 1: Service users’ experience of Memory Assessment Services.
Aim:
to gather quantitative and qualitative information about the experience
of people attending Memory clinics (patients and relatives).
Students’ role:
providing
to be
to support service users (including relatives/companions) in
feedback on their experiences. The student would be expected
present in the Memory clinic waiting areas, to welcome service users
and later to support them in completing the feedback questionnaire
followed up by a short semi-structured interview. They would then
analyse the data and could contribute to the write up.
Learning opportunities:
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Learn about the functioning of a multi professional Memory Assessment Service.
Develop interviewing and communication skills.
learn about the experience of memory problems and early dementia.
Develops service evaluation skills including the analysis of quantitative data.
Exposure to applied psychology in action.
Awareness of professional issues.
Time commitment:
Approximately half a day a week across the whole academic year.
Autumn Term
:
Complete CRB check application and attend induction.
:
familiarisation with the service.
:
training to undertake the project.
Some of this occurs at health services sites at specific times, other parts are flexible.
Spring Term
Summer Term
:
weekly attendance at the Memory Assessment Clinic to undertake the
interviews. These typically occur on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday.
Half a day minimum analysis of interviews.
:
Finish analysis and contribute to write up (optional) and
feedback process.
Number of student places: Up to 6 student volunteers can be accommodated since the intention
is to undertake the survey in all 6 Memory Assessment Services in
East Kent (Ashford, Margate, Dover, Folkestone, Canterbury and
Sittingbourne).
Contact:
Alison Culverwell or Reinhard Guss.
Please contact Mr. Reinhard Guss in the first instance – Reinhard.Guss@kmpt.nhs.uk. Please also
liaise with the Volunteering Service at St. Martin’s Hospital (Helen Collins,
Helen.collins1@kmpt.nhs.uk, Tel. 01227-812042), as all WES students will need to be CRB
checked.
For more information: http://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/volunteering