The Kent Placement Portfolio

Application Pack

August 2013Kent County CouncilMark Smith

Kent Placement Portfolio – Application pack

This pack has been designed to assist you in developing and submitting your placement opportunity to the Kent Placement Portfolio. It contains information on what the portfolio is and who it is aimed at, as well as some information to help you decide on the type of placement you want to offer, and whether or not you will need to offer any form of payment. We have also included some template documents in order to assist you and the student when beginning a placement

Contents

FAQs..................................................................................................................................................3

Placement criteria.............................................................................................................................4

Placement definitions........................................................................................................................5

What type of placement do I want?..................................................................................................6

Do I need to pay a placement student?.............................................................................................7

Placement request form....................................................................................................................8

Induction checklist...........................................................................................................................11

Student risk assessment..................................................................................................................12

Health and safety statement...........................................................................................................14

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Kent Placement Portfolio – FAQ’s

What is The Kent Placement Portfolio? The Kent Placement Portfolio is an online resource of placement opportunities for further and higher

education students in Kent who study topics including the environment, climate change and sustainability. The Portfolio provides students with guidance on selecting a placement in their area of interest. The website and the support team provide potential host organisations with information to help them

complete placement request forms, and assist them with fulfilling their own, and the students’ requirements.

The Kent Placement Portfolio is NOT a matching service. We provide a mechanism that allows organisations to upload placement opportunities, and directs students to them via our website (www.kent.gov.uk/placementportfolio) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/placementportfolio).

Who runs the project? The Sustainability and Climate Change team at Kent County Council.

Who is the main contact for the project? Mark Smith. Email: mark.smith2@kent.gov.uk Phone: 01622 221640.

Where can I find more information? www.kent.gov.uk/placementportfolio (add specific link to business advice page) for advice on adding

placements if you are a business, community group or voluntary organisation wanting to advertise a placement.

Add specific link to student advice or placement search pages) for advice on finding and completing placements if you are a student.

www.facebook.com/placementportfolio for regular updates to placement opportunities.

Who is the project for? Those looking for a placement:

Any of Kent’s further or higher education students studying sustainability, environmental, or climate change related courses and have an interest in gaining experience in the sector.

Those looking for project support: Kent’s public sector organisations. Community groups around Kent. Kent’s Small and Medium Enterprises. Kent County Council.

Will the project be available for more students? In the future we hope to expand the project to be accessible by all AS, A level and undergraduate degree

students, as well as those studying other higher and further education courses, and all interested organisations and community groups across Kent.

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Placement Criteria

Below is a list of recommended criteria to think about when requesting a placement. If these are followed there is a much higher chance of a successful placement for all involved.

Achieved

Make the placement relevant to the students’ academic studies.

Clearly define the skills required of and gained by the student.

Carry out a risk assessment to ensure student safety.

Establish a mentor for the student during the placement.

Clearly define student and mentor roles for ease of communication.

Ensure that the student will gain a real experience as an employee.

Ensure that the placement is meaningful for the student.

Appropriately manage students’ expectations of the placement.

Ensure organisational requirements and expectations are clearly explained (dress code, working times etc).Ensure your placement is at an appropriate time of year (e.g. university vacation period).

Make sure the placement is of an appropriate length.

Set out a clearly defined communication procedure during the placement.

Ensure that the placement is beneficial to all parties.

Ensure that boundaries of the students’ role are clear.

Sustainability of placement – could the placement be repeated or extended?

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Placement definitions

There are 3 types of placements available through the Kent Placement Portfolio:

Research placements:A placement is defined as a research placement opportunity if the student will carry out work with an organisation or community group that will contribute to the completion of the students’ coursework, dissertation, or thesis. The specific project details will be agreed between all parties (the organisation, the student and their academic mentor) to fulfil the needs of the organisation or community group as well as the student’s academic studies. There will be an expectation that the placement will enable independent study and that the student will produce a report of their findings for the organisation or community, as well as for their academic studies.

Examples of previous research placements include: A student researching how climate change is affecting Kent. Feasibility studies for renewable energy in a community. Surveying local residents on their carbon footprint and devising recommendations to reduce these. Data compilation of the environmental impact and efficiency of solar energy.

Work Experience placements:Work experience placements will involve students carrying out work in a business or organisation; it provides a full experience of work in terms of role, responsibilities and expectations. The recruitment and selection procedure must provide the individual with a taste of what they could expect if applying for a paid role. When the individual is on placement they are an equal member of the team and provided with the same opportunities to develop as other members of the team, as well as participating in team meetings. The student will commit an agreed number of hours per week and number of weeks or months. The individual can expect to be given tasks which contribute to the organisation and its aims and objectives, and can expect to be given training and coaching in order to complete these tasks.

Examples of previous work experience placements include: Assisting with funding bids within an organisation. Event management for business to business environmental events. Administration duties within an environmental organisation.

Voluntary placements:Voluntary placements are associated with charitable or not-for-profit organisations and will involve the student undertaking practical or physical work. The placement is flexible with the individual possibly receiving expenses for travel and subsistence. A volunteer can take on any role, which doesn’t have to be educational. The role is often ongoing and can occur on an irregular basis when times suit for both the employer and the volunteer.

Examples of previous voluntary placements include: A student going into a community group helping them create an eco garden. Managing community events for a low carbon community. Promotion of green schemes within a business.

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Will the student be required to carry out research or independant

investigative work?

Yes

Research project

No

Is your placement practical or physical

work based?

Yes

Voluntary work

No

Is your placement an example of working

within your organisation?

Yes

Work experience

No

Clarify the reason for the placement so that it falls into a category above.

Kent Placement Portfolio – What type of placement do I want?

This flowchart is designed to help you establish what type of placement you will be offering. This will vary depending on what the student will be doing during the placement.

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Will the placement count towards the students'

academic studies?

Yes

Will the Placement last more than 12

months?

Yes

At least minimum wage must be paid if a placement lasts

longer than 12 months.

No

No pay needed but expenses of up to

£100 per week (£20 per day)

should be paid.

No

Will the placement last 12 weeks or

less?

Yes

No pay needed but expenses of up to

£100 per week (£20 per day)

should be paid.

No

If you would like to recruit a member

of staff on a temporary basis

but for longer than 12 weeks we

reccomend you use the term work placement and

offer a salary of at least the minimum

wage.

Kent Placement Portfolio – Do I need to pay a placement student?

This flowchart is designed to inform your decision on whether or not you will need to include pay or expenses as part of your placement offer, and how much this needs to be.

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Do I need to pay a placement student?

If the student is performing as a worker, they must be paid at least the minimum wage unless the placement is part of a further or higher education course and lasts up to one year.

National minimum wage is £6.31 per hour for ages 21 and over and £5.03 per hour for ages 18-20 as of 1st October 2013.

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Placement Request Form

Your placement:

Outline of placement Please give a brief outline of your placement and what you hope to have achieved by the end of the placement.

Type of placement Choose an item.

Contact details:

Organisation/Community name Name of the organisation/community group placement will occur in.

Contact/Mentor name Contact name for person who will mentor student (if possible).

Contact number Not mandatory.

Contact email Address Email address for students to contact if interested in the project.

Address Postal address for students to contact if interested in the project, or need to send any documentation.

Placement details:

Estimated duration of placementChoose an item.

If other please specify.

Number of days per week is the student expected to commit

Choose an item.

If other please specify.

Location Where will the placement take place?

Pay Will expenses or minimum wage be offered?

Public transport availability Is the placement accessible by public transport? If so give brief details, If not please state a car is necessary.

Support offered What support is available for the student, i.e a desk, meetings, internet access etc...

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Placement Request Form

Additional details:

Placement ideas in more detail Please provide further ideas about your placement. Please provide a list of tasks the student will expect to carry out.

Skills needed by student What skills does the student need to be able to carry out your placement?

Skills to be gained by student What skills will the student gain during your placement?

Sustainability/repeatability of placement

Could this project be repeated in the future, or developed upon by another student? If not then would there be any other opportunities for students likely to arise within your community/organisation?

When you have completed this form please return it by email to climate.change@kent.gov.uk.

Students – if you would like to apply, or want more information on this placement please use the contact details above to contact the organization directly.

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Template Documents

The following documents have been produced to assist you during the induction of the successful applicant. They are meant as a guide only, and are not meant to replace any existing documents or procedure that your company may have.

[Type text]

Kent Placement Portfolio – Induction checklist

This form should be completed by the student, with assistance from the placement mentor.

Name of studentStart date

Placement mentor

The following should be included in your induction into the organisation, ideally in your first 2 days. Please check off the items below when they are completed and inform your placement mentor of any items not covered within one week of the start of your placement. This list is not exhaustive and your mentor may cover other topics, which there is space for you to record below:

Organisational induction DateIntroduced to key staff and understand their rolesLocation of toilet facilitiesLocation of rest room, canteen (if relevant) etcLunch, tea and coffee arrangementsPlace of workHours of workDress codeWork spaceComputer system/e-mail login (if relevant)How to answer the telephone, transfer calls and make calls both internally and externallyCar parking arrangements

Health and Safety induction DateEmergency proceduresSafety policy received or location knownFirst Aid arrangements (including name of first aiders and location of First Aid box)Fire evacuation procedures and location of fire exits/extinguishers.Accident reporting and location of accident bookCOSHH regulations/requirementsDisplay Screen Equipment regulations/proceduresManual handling proceduresProtective clothing arrangements (if relevant)

Instruction on equipment you will be using (list equipment)

Other issues:

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Student risk assessment

This form should be completed by the student during the induction, with assistance from the placement mentor.

Name of studentName of mentor:

In the space below, please give a risk assessment for the work placement listing any possible sources of risk to your personal safety, e.g. potentially dangerous equipment, buildings, power lines, vehicles, traffic and transport situations, possible exposure to infection, or to criminal activity etc.

Each risk should be given a rating of likelihood (Low, Medium or High) and of severity if the risk was to occur. You should then detail any steps taken to minimise the risk. Attach an extra sheet if necessary.

Source of risk Likelihood (High, Medium, Low)

Severity of risk (High, Medium, Low)

Steps taken to minimise risk

Emergencies13

Kent Placement Portfolio – Student risk assessment

Specify any medical/health problems that might arise

Name of next of kin and full contact details

Details of the Hospital Accident and Emergency Department or other medical assistance nearest to the placement

Please return a copy of all forms to your placement mentor and academic tutor within one week of beginning your placement.

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Health and safety statement

This form should be completed by the placement mentor and given to the student during their induction.

Name of placement organisation

Nominated contact for compliance with the requirements of health and safety legislation

Name and position

Address

Telephone/Fax Email

Do you have a written health and safety policy?

Do you have a policy regarding health and safety training for people working in your undertaking, including use of vehicles, plant and equipment, and will you provide all necessary health and safety training for the placement student? Is the organisation registered with a) the Health and Safety Executive or b) the Local Authority Environmental Health Department?

InsuranceA) Do you hold Employer and Public Liability Insurance?B) Will your insurances cover any liability incurred by a placement student as a result of his/her duties as an employee?

Risk Assessmenta) Have you carried out risk assessment of your work practices to identify possible risks, whether to your own employees or to others within your undertaking?b) Are risk assessments kept under regular review?c) Are the results of risk assessment implemented?

Accidents and incidentsa) Is there a formal procedure for reporting and recording accidents and incidents in accordance with RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Deaths and Dangerous Occurrences)?b) Have you procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to people at work in your undertaking?c) Will you report to the university all recorded accidents involving placement students?d) Will you report to the university any sickness involving placement students which may be attributable to the work?

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Kent Placement Portfolio – Health and safety statement

Please read the following and sign below:

1. In connection with any students undertaking work placement with the Placement Organisation, it is hereby agreed that the Placement Organisation will indemnify the College/University against all damages, loss claims, costs and expenses for which they may become legally liable as a result of death or bodily injury to such student or any other person and/or damage to material property arising out of any negligent act or omission of the Placement Organisation, its servants or agents.

2. The Placement Organisation shall maintain such insurances as are necessary to cover the aforementioned liability and shall, if requested by the College or University, produce documentary evidence that such insurances are properly maintained.

3. The Placement Organisation acknowledges its responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all related legislation, and will ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of students for the duration of the placement.

4. It is confirmed that where, following a risk assessment, a significant risk remains within the workplace, the student will not be asked to undertake any activity associated with that risk.

5. We understand that the College is insured against its legal liability for accidental deaths, injury, illness or property damage arising out of any negligent act or omission by the College and/or its students.

The above statements are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed Print

Date

Thank you for completing the form. The student will keep a copy for their own records, and return a copy to you within one week of the start of the work placement.

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