Through a partnership with Cardiff University, each year Headway Cardiff and South East Wales provides full time student placement opportunities to five Psychology Undergraduate students and five post graduate MPsych students.
“The programme provides Psychology students the opportunity to work with people with acquired brain injury, gaining an in-depth insight and understanding into the condition. Something they take with them into the rest of lives and future careers.”
(Rebecca Pearce, CEO Headway Cardiff and South East Wales)
What’s the impact?
Students receive accredited training in fundamentals such safeguarding, data protection, equality and diversity, health and safety, emergency first aid, as well as experience of the essentials of work, elevating them in the jobs market. Some have progressed to becoming members of the team at Headway Cardiff and South East Wales, while others have gone on to careers in related areas such as therapy.
The students make a huge contribution to the service, significantly enhancing the support this group can offer service users in their Independence and Wellbeing Centre and Community Services. Each year they bring a fresh energy and enthusiasm to the organisation as well as the idealism and optimism of youth. They increase the team’s diversity, coming with different experiences and backgrounds.
Headway Cardiff and South East Wales had their first oversees students this year. Overseas students provide practical and emotional support and contribute ideas and activity to the centre programme, as well as leading sessions and having key responsibilities for designated individuals.
Service users develop meaningful relationships with the students as they get to know each other. The students contribute to their development and progression, and there is a mutual caring and investment in each other’s futures.
“Each year I'm so sad to see our students go. I see them make so much progress and feel so proud of them.”
“I'm so pleased that some of the best students have been taken on as staff. They're fabulous and we would have been so sorry to lose them.”
”'I can't imagine the centre without the students. They help so much and mean we've always got someone to talk to and help us”Back
