INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITIONS
This handbook aims to help The University of Winchester staff to understand and manage the placement experience for students. It is intended to ensure that all staff are fully aware of the legal, insurance, and health & safety requirements of a placement.
This handbook complements the information supplied to students via the students handbook which can be viewed on issuu, see issuu.com/ theuniversityofwinchester
The placement team are happy to help and advise and can be reached on workplacements@winchester.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS
A placement is a period of assessed learning in a workplace included in a module and approved by the University which carries a requirement to complete. It should satisfy the module requirements appropriate to the course and is usually in a field relevant to a student’s subject. A placement aims to bridge the gap between academic study and vocational experience through practical and professional work experience and is an opportunity to gain valuable practical experience in a real working environment. Placement learning is when the learner might be considered as student first, employee second, i.e. they came to the placement experience by virtue of their assessed learning.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER
To ensure success of placement provision the University of Winchester will:
F Provide information to the student on general health and safety prior to their placement.
F Provide specialist advice and guidance for students with additional support needs.
F Check that university placement procedures are being followed.
F Appoint an “academic supervisor(s)” and establish dates of contact / visits as appropriate.
F Ensure that the appointed tutor will provide support to the student when out on placement through a placement visit, formative assessment opportunities, and graded assessment of the accredited placement module.
F Ensure that the appointed tutor will provide support to the student when out on placement through a placement visit, formative assessment opportunities, and graded assessment of the accredited placement module.
F Encourage all staff to disseminate placement opportunities to the Placement Team to promote to students.
STUDENTS
To ensure the Student attains a meaningful experience, the student should:
F Attend placement workshops at the University and familiarise themselves with all the relevant resources and health and safety information provided.
F Abide by organisation guidelines regarding health and safety requirements, and other practices and procedures of the placement provider.
F Report any concerns about health and safety to the employers, including personal or health concerns or disabilities that may require adjustments.
F Report any accidents or near misses in the workplace to their employer.
F Obtain appropriate employer and public liability insurance and upload to InPlace.
F Consult with the University prior to seeking any changes in the terms and duration of the placement.
F Notify the University if their placement ends early for whatever reason.
F Ensure they represent the University in a professional manner as an ambassador of Winchester.
EMPLOYERS
To enable the employer to fulfil the requirements of the placement and meet the needs of the role, the employer is required to:
F Plan the work or study programme and associated health and safety training to be undertaken by the student, including a full and clear induction to the organisation and its working practices.
F Undertake a risk assessment to identify any potential risks/ hazards associated with the student’s placement and to ensure that adequate controls will be put in place to address these risks.
F Nominate a supervisor who will conduct or make arrangements for day-to-day supervision of the student.
F Comply with the appropriate country’s health and safety legislation.
F Facilitate access to the student for up to two contacts by the visiting tutor / placement coordinator as appropriate.
F Ensure that appropriate employer and public liability insurance are in place and provide these certificates to the student so that they can be uploaded to the student’s placement application.
F Promptly inform the University of Winchester of any serious accidents which involve medical treatment that goes beyond first aid or advise the University of incidents relating to breaches of discipline by the student.
F Advise the University promptly of any unexplained periods of non-attendance or any other workplace concerns.
F Support the student with objective setting and completion of tasks.
F Ensure placement students are treated with the same workers’ rights as other staff in the organisation.
WORK PLACEMENT PROCESS
Preparation sessions are delivered to students by the faculty lead (placement tutor) which should cover modules and assignments the placements link to alongside the value of taking a placement (work placement or volunteering module) so they understand the whole picture before making a choice.
The Placement Team will be available to come in to do a session on the placement process (where to look, apply, support from careers and the placement application system).
When the student has secured a placement, the student completes InPlace, the University’s placement management app, which needs to be submitted to the placement tutor for approval.
The placement tutor logs in to InPlace to check through the student’s application, including checking the placement provider’s details as per this document and conducting a thorough review of the risk profile, the Placement Learning Agreement (in the case of a work placement) or Placement Form (in the case of the Volunteering Module) and evidence of the placement.
The placement tutor accepts or rejects the placement via InPlace. Communication can be made via InPlace requesting more information from the student.
If the placement tutor approves the placement, an automated email is sent to both the student and the organisation..
The Placement Team will manage the relationship with the placement provider, including requesting organisation feedback .at the end of the placement.
The student should be assigned an academic supervisor who will be the student’s point of contact at the university and would be responsible for marking of assessments.
PREPARATION FOR PLACEMENT
It’s important to remember that students may not have worked in professional employment or in an industry that is linked to their course. It is vital that the students are offered preparation sessions to help them adjust to the working environment.
We recommend that all programmes that offer a placement should timetable sessions to help the student prepare, the placement and careers teams would be more than willing to assist you. These sessions could include:
F Where and how to find placements
F Advice on CVs and applications
F Expectations for placements and how to make the most of the experience
In addition to these timetabled sessions, students can access several resources available from the Careers and Opportunities Hub such as career guidance and placement support both available as bookable appointments via CareerConnect or students can pop into SAB303 and speak to a member of staff.
Please also encourage your students to join the relevant placement canvas page using the links below:
Work Placements:
winchester.instructure.com/enroll/REY7WX
Volunteering Module:
winchester.instructure.com/enroll/XJT8GY
PLACEMENT REGISTRATION
Once the student has secured a placement, the student must enrol using InPlace, the University’s placement management system. For more guidance on this please refer the student to the “Student Guide to Work Placements and the Volunteering Module” handbook which can be viewed on issuu.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
As part of their due diligence checks, the placement or volunteering team and academic supervisor should satisfy themselves that each placement provider, whether allocated by the University of Winchester or independently found by the student, is suitable. Procedures for securing, approving and allocating placements should be transparent to all and the following should be considered:
F The ability of the placement provider to allow students to successfully meet the learning outcomes of the placement;
F Health and safety requirements including any requirement for DBS checks;
F Any relevant professional, statutory or regulatory body (PSRB) requirements governing the suitability of placements.
F Student support on placements, including the mechanisms for dealing with any problems or complaints;
F Any reasonable and anticipatory adjustments for students with a disability or learning difference.
F A health and safety risk assessment should be carried out following the University’s policies and procedures in place at the time, following the advice of the University’s Health and Safety Manager.
F Valid Employers’ Liability and Public Liability Certificates should be obtained together with confirmation from each employer that students will be covered whilst under their supervision/control.
F The Placement Team or academic tutor may visit the placement provider, to assess their suitability. For more information about health and safety whilst on placement, please click HERE
OVERSEAS PLACEMENTS
A growing number of students are undertaking placements abroad. Students may arrange these placements with organisations directly or through a third party. Once a student has secured an international placement, the student will register their placement via InPlace and be directed to a complete a Microsoft form. The automated approval process is:
1. Academic Department Review
2. Dean/Director Review
3. Health and Safety Review
4. Travel Cover Review
5. ELT Approval. If the intended travel is to a high-risk area, the form must be forwarded to the ViceChancellor for approval
6. Completion of the risk and medical forms.
The student will receive an automated notification when their application has been approved, which they will upload to their InPlace application.
Once their placement has been approved, they may book travel and accommodation. The University’s travel cover will provide travel and emergency medical cover for students on approved placements.
Students will be directed to check the FCDO website one month before they travel.
The benefits of this process are:
F The process can be tracked from end-to-end.
F Students receive communications automatically.
F All the data is stored in one place with a dashboard overview.
F Automated trackable spreadsheet of all applications.
This is the flow for the overseas placement process
If you decline an overseas placement, please redirect the student to the Placement Team for assistance with finding an alternative placement. It is recommended that students refrain from booking travel and accommodation until their placement has been approved. Once a student’s placement has been approved, they may book travel and accommodation.
The University’s travel cover will provide travel and emergency medical cover for students on placements if approved by the University but will only take effect from four weeks before the placement is due to commence. If the student wishes to book travel and accommodation before that period, they do so at their own risk.
The University’s Health and Safety team will monitor conditions in the host country prior to and during the placement.
HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLACEMENTS ABROAD
For placements abroad, we advise that the placement cannot be determined as ‘low risk’ on the InPlace risk profile. Therefore, students travelling abroad to work must assess all aspects of the risk profile and give details.
To help prepare your students for working abroad, we recommend that the following topics are taken into consideration.
Travel arrangements
F Students should pre-arrange their flights and transfers to and from the placement location. They
should be clear about where they are going to and ensure that they have plenty of time to make any connection journeys.
F Accommodation – students should ensure that they have suitable accommodation booked before departing.
F Bear in mind the effects of long-haul travel (jetlag, fatigue) and how to avoid them.
Personal safety
F Students should research the area they are travelling to prior to departure and avoid ‘no-go’ areas and areas of high crime.
F Safe use of public transport, taxis, etc. – where possible, students should only use registered taxis/ buses and should pre-book taxis if necessary.
Climatic conditions
Students should consider the climate of the area they are travelling to (e.g. higher temperatures, monsoon seasons, arid conditions, extreme winter conditions) and pack accordingly.
Health
risks and vaccinations
F Venomous animals and insects.
F Contagious diseases.
F Students can refer to the NHS Fit for Travel website for vaccination information for every country, and check that their vaccinations are up to date.
F Students should avoid consuming contaminated drinking water and food.
F For some countries it may be advisable to drink bottled water only.
F Students will need to apply for a GHIC (or EHIC is applicable) card online.
Cultural differences
Other countries may live by different customs and/or speak another language. To avoid causing offence to locals or breaking the law, it is advisable that students familiarise themselves with the ‘cultural norms’ of their placement country, such as the following:
F Accepted behaviour
F Local laws and religions
F Dress codes
F Alcohol use
Obtaining medical or other emergency assistance
Students should make a note of local healthcare arrangements and the contact number(s) of local emergency services.
INSURANCE
Insurance is a transfer of risk between the policy holder and the insurance company by paying for the provision of professional support and financial recompense if things go wrong. Wordings and compulsory insurances vary from country to country. Students will be responsible for obtaining insurance documents from their placement provider and uploading them to InPlace. The Placements Team has provided a template email on both the Work Placement Support canvas page and the Volunteering Module canvas page for students who are unsure how to word this request. Please note that placements should not be approved unless the relevant insurance documents have been provided. This is also the case for virtual or remote placements.
LIABILITY INSURANCE IN THE UK
Within the UK it is compulsory to hold employers’ liability insurance. There are some exemptions to this, and sole traders will often not need this cover. Sole traders should, however, have public liability insurance. Please be aware that for placements deemed Medium to High risk (on the students InPlace risk profile) we will require sole traders to hold Employers Liability cover for the duration of a UK placement. This is not the case in all countries, and in some instances the insurance cover may in fact be wider to include personal accident insurance, for example.
While the student is on placement, they are considered to be an ‘employee’ of the company, irrespective of whether the work is paid or unpaid. If your student undertakes a placement which is not at the University, then the placement provider (employer) – not the University- is responsible for providing liability insurance. The company may also hold public liability insurance which indemnifies the company against claims made by any visitors or customers.
LIABILITY INSURANCE ABROAD
If your student decides to undertake a work placement abroad, they will need to check if the placement provider has appropriate insurance in place to protect them while undertaking their placement. The student will also need to check the country’s guidelines on insurance. Some countries do not require businesses to have such insurance or may have insurance schemes in place which are similar but do not provide the same level of liability cover.
It is essential that the student includes the details of liability insurance in the risk profile. If the placement provider does not offer this, the student must notify you.
If the placement provider does not have the necessary liability cover in place, speak with the insurance team at the University, who will be able to offer assistance.
EMPLOYERS’ LIABILITY VERSUS PUBLIC LIABILITY – WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Insurers provide cover for businesses’ legal liabilities by issuing:
F employers’ liability covers employers for financial awards made against them following the company’s proven negligence in causing injury or disease to people they employ.
F public liability covers businesses for financial awards made against them following injury, disease or damage to people they do not employ, for example, visitors and customers.
TRAVEL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE
The University’s travel cover will provide travel and emergency medical cover for students on placements if approved by the University.
If the student is seeking to gain employment experience that is not formally part of their course, they will not be covered by the University’s travel insurance and should arrange their own cover.
Before your students start to apply for placements, it is important that you consider the potential location of their placement. The student should make you aware of this via the Microsoft Forms international process, triggered by InPlace. The student’s placement must be approved by the health and safety team and ELT prior to embarking on the placement,
If the University, Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the insurance provider advise against travel, then the student must reconsider their placement location.
Insurers will not normally permit travel in these circumstances as it is not possible to guarantee that the student can be evacuated in the event of an emergency.
The student’s safety is our greatest concern. If the work placement is planned in a country where the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has raised concerns but not advised against travel, then the student must include this information in the risk profile section of InPlace, and this must be approved through the University’s international placements process.
Ultimately, if our insurers consider that the risk of travel is too high for the student’s safety to be guaranteed, then travel insurance may not be available. Under these circumstances, the placement will not be supported by the University.
Please refer to the University’s travel cover page on the intranet:
RISK PROFILES
InPlace, the university’s placement management application, allows students to create a risk profile, which enables them to reflect on where they will be doing their placement and the associated risks. It is therefore essential that students complete the risk profile.
The student will need to assess the level of risk of their placement - low, medium or high- and provide a brief explanation as to why it has been assessed as the chosen level. There are detailed instructions with examples, to help students complete the risk assessment, available in the Student Guide to Work Placements and the Volunteering Module. With medium or high risks, students will need to give an explanation as to why it has been deemed as this risk level and include actions to reduce the risk.
It is important that this section is assessed fully. If you believe that the risk should be reviewed, do not approve the placement until this has been rectified.
As the placement tutor, it is your responsibility to review the student’s placement duties and risk profile on InPlace. It is important that this section is scrutinised and only approved if you believe that the student has a full understanding of the risks of their placement and that this has been assessed thoroughly before approval.
InPlace enables you to send a comment to the student and reject the placement. We strongly recommend that you discuss with the student why you have rejected the placement and support their completion of the risk profile. If, following an update to the risk profile, you still believe that the placement is not suitable in terms of the student’s safety, you must reject the placement.
STUDENTS ON A STUDENT VISA
Sponsored students (Students with a Student visa for the University of Winchester) will normally have restrictions on the number of hours they are permitted whilst studying:
F Up to 20 hours per week during university term time. UKVI has defined a “week” as “a seven-day period starting on a Monday and ending on a Sunday”
F Full-time in vacation periods
F Full-time during term time if on a work placement that is an integral and assessed part of the course – any work placement must not be longer than 50% of the total course length (unless there is a UK statutory requirement for the course to contain a specific period of work placement which exceeds this limit).
F The placement must be reported to the UKVI by the International Student Success Team once it has been approved by both the Careers Team and the International Student Success Team. Students are not permitted to begin their placement until after it has been approved and reported to the UKVI.
F As a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years. This must be reported to the UKVI by the International Student Success Team.
F If the student holds a Student Visa for a part time course they will not have the right to undertake any work, paid or unpaid, in the UK.
F If the student holds other immigration permissions they must be able to provide evidence that work placements are within the student’s immigration conditions.
F Unlimited voluntary work for a charity or not-forprofit. Volunteers can be reimbursed reasonable travel or food (subsistence expenses) but should not receive any financial reward or benefits in kind with a monetary value.
F Voluntary work differs from volunteering in that it is performed under a contract. Voluntary work is subject to the same restrictions as paid work or a work placement.
Student Visa students can only work on a temporary basis – they cannot be employed on a permanent contract. They cannot be self-employed or set up a business or employed as a professional sportsperson or as an entertainer.
Please note: if the work is not an integral and assessed part of the student’s course, this would not be regarded by the Home Office as a work placement, but would instead be regarded as work experience, which Student Visa students are not permitted to miss scheduled classes to undertake. Students undertaking work experience should ensure that they are doing so within the work conditions of their visa.
For full details, the University of Winchester’s Visa Sponsorship Policy can be found HERE
STUDENT WELLBEING AND DISABILITY WHILST ON PLACEMENT
Our students’ mental and physical wellbeing is always our top priority and this remains the case whilst students are on placement. If you have students
with a physical or mental health disability, or who are learning diverse, please make sure you make them aware of how to access the right support. The term “disability” covers many types of health conditions both physical and mental, specific learning difficulties and neurodiverse conditions. Any of these entitle students to access extra support during both the recruitment process and in the workplace.
It is important to note that The Equality Act 2010 protects those with a physical or mental health disability against discrimination when applying for jobs and less favourable treatment when in employment. Employers also have a legal duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to reduce or remove obstacles disabled people may face in the recruitment process and workplace and ensure that disabled employees are able to carry out their duties without being disadvantaged compared to others.
At Winchester University, we work closely with students, graduates and employers to ensure that opportunities are equal and inclusive for all. We are keen to support our disabled students in the transition from study to the workplace and our Disability and Learning Diversity Team can provide tailored support for students with a disability/dyslexia. They can also provide information on Disabled Students Allowance (DSA- inc. non-medical help), Assistive Technology, and Learning Agreements.
You can find detailed information and advice to support students’ wellbeing via our Work Placement Support and Volunteering Module canvas pages. You can also find advice and guidance on the Student Support and Success intranet pages.
If your student has a disability and/or an additional learning requirement or needs any kind of assistance during their placement in the workplace or in accessing a placement, they can receive support from the Disabilities and Learning Diversity Team, who can provide advice as to:
F How to share information with an employer about a disability or support needs.
F Information about adjustments that an employer could make to support students to work comfortably and thrive in the workplace.
F How to navigate workplace cultures with a disability and or/adjustment needs.
F Discuss the government’s Access To Work scheme which can help you with in-work support and funding. The Disabilities and Learning Diversity Team can be reached on disability@winchester.ac.uk and on 01962 827341.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND GDPR
The University’s Equal Opportunities Policy will apply to employers providing placements. There are a range of protected characteristics, against which it is unlawful to discriminate when choosing someone for a job, considering people for promotion, dismissal or redundancy. For more information, you can check the government’s guidelines HERE. Further information is available through the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The University will continue to be compliant with elements of GDPR. The University will not disclose any commercially sensitive data or information externally. Where such information is made available it will, with the employer/placement provider’s permission, be used for assessment purposes only and not subsequently discussed or divulged. It is the employer/placement provider’s responsibility to make Disclosure and Barring Service checks on prospective employees.
The University uses InPlace, a placements CRM, to record details of student placements. Students will be asked to record elements such as their host organisation’s details, a risk assessment for the placement, insurance documents for their host organisation and details of work to be carried out whilst on placement. This information is then assessed by the student’s module leader, who will have final say in whether or not the placement is approved. You can find details of InPlace’s privacy policy HERE.
WINCHESTER EMPLOYABILITY FUND
The Winchester Employability Fund can provide support to students, who meet the eligibility criteria, with expenses related to placements, volunteering or work experience. The opportunity may be an assessed part of their course or undertaken independently of their course. You can find more information by clicking on this link.
PROBLEMS WHILST ON PLACEMENT
Most of our students have a great time whilst on placement and come back to University, having developed a range of exciting skills and contacts. However, we recognise that occasionally things don’t go to plan and this section aims to explain what to do if your student has a problem.
If the student is experiencing any problems whilst on placement relating to the placement itself, they should follow their organisation’s internal procedures. This may involve having a professional discussion with their supervisor to explain their concerns. This can be daunting and they may wish to ask for your advice on how to handle it or they can contact workplacements@winchester.ac.uk
For any more serious concerns, or if discussions with their organisation doesn’t resolve the problem, students must contact their academic supervisor. They can also contact the Placements Team on workplacements@winchester.ac.uk, Academic supervisors are welcome to contact the Placements Team if they have any concerns.
Whilst on placement, students can access Student Support and Success services. More details are available HERE or via our Work Placements and Volunteering Module canvas pages within the sections on Wellbeing.
In some cases, organisations - particularly voluntary organisations - may require students to commit to a period of work/volunteering that exceeds the minimum requirements of the module. There are often training costs involved in preparing the student for their role and the organisation may depend on the student’s input operationally. It is up to the student to agree this with the organisation before they begin and, whilst these minimum term agreements cannot be enforced should a student choose to resign prematurely, students should be encouraged to honour the agreements that they have made with organisations where possible.
