SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds

1. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Welcome to the Employability Symposium at SEC3 2014 Chaired by Julia Clarke, LUBS

2. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Symposium An Experiment in Embedding Employability:External Placements in Theology and Religious Studies Rachel Muers PRHS r.e.muers@leeds.ac.uk

3. Aims of this presentation • Introduce a module in Theology and Religious Studies focused on placements with external organisations • Explain rationale and context in the programme • Reflect on lessons learned so far and future of the module

4. The Module: THEO3900 External Placement – Theology and Religious Studies Beyond the University • Key features: • Placements with external organisations mostly arranged by TRS staff team, with specific tasks/goals • 20-credit level 3 module running across both semesters • Students undertake 30-50 hours work for partner organisation • Assessment by report, presentation, log • Focus of assessment: relating academic study of TRS to placement context

5. Context • “Religion and public life” as key strength of Leeds BA TRS – across this interdisciplinary programme • Community Religions Project – an established Leeds “brand”; engaged research on and with local religious communities in context • Fieldwork, and fieldwork training, from level 1 – a Leeds distinctive

6. Aims and Rationale • Employability: enable students to relate subject- and discipline-specific knowledge and skills to employment contexts - while also gaining “work experience” • Research-based learning ,and problem-solving: student as researcher analysing and responding to “real-world” issues, with guidance of academic supervisor

7. Aims and Rationale (2) • Partnerships: involve undergraduates (and TRS staff as supervisors) in building partnerships with external organisations; “test out” possible links, strengthen existing ones • Essential criterion: all placements have to involve work that is genuinely useful to the partner organisation • Skills development for employability: critical reflection on experience and practice; project planning; teamwork; negotiation

8. Examples of Placements 2012-13 • Leeds City Council: 2 students reviewing how due regard was given to “religion or belief” in equality impact assessments and making recommendations for changes in practice • Left Bank Leeds: 1 student helping to set up and evaluate an art exhibition that explored religious themes in challenging ways • West Yorkshire Police: 1 student conducting interviews and developing recommendations on how a neighbourhood policing team engages with Black majority churches

9. What worked in the first year? • Student feedback was extremely positive – “the highlight of my year” (though workload issues were noted) • One was offered a job by the partner organisation! Others drew extensively on the experience for job applications • Partners found the work useful and wanted to continue- especially, but not only, as part of ongoing larger partnerships • External examiners praised the module’s innovation (but raised some issues)

10. What are the ongoing challenges? • Negotiating the requirements of university and partner – and how to empower/support the students in this negotiation • Workload, research ethics • Partners’ understanding of what TRS can offer • Keeping it academically robust, as the/a culmination of the degree course not “something completely different” • Defining clear and achievable outputs – and ensuring realism on the part of the partner organisation • Relationship-building takes time!

11. Future of the module • For 2013-14 we defined “research pathway” and “reflective experience pathway”, to strengthen academic base • 40 credit version in development, as (version of) independent research project • Would like to find private sector partners • Long-term partnership with Leeds City Museum (every year for 5 years) • How can we use past reports, and “alumni” of the module, more effectively? • Uncertain balance of supply and demand…

12. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Symposium Learning for Sustainability: professionals who can make a difference Dr Alice Owen Lecturer in Business, Stakeholders and Sustainability, Programme Leader MSc Sustainability (Environmental Consultancy & Project Management) Sustainability Research Institute School of Earth & Environment

13. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What’s the Programme? What’s it for? • MSc Sustainability (Environmental Consultancy & Project Management) • 32 out of 80 MSc Sustainability students in 2013/14 • Semester 1: theory • Semester 2: apply the heck out of the theory • Semester 3: a project placement instead of a dissertation - 10 weeks, client led • Why? • There are jobs in consultancy • Consultants can just “turn the handle” on known processes (like EIA), or they can … make a difference, creating knowledge and pathways to action Alice Owen, Employability Symposium

14. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What are the skills developed? • Understanding a client brief – what’s really the issue? • Identifying knowledge gaps and a method to bridge those gaps • Resourcing, budgeting, building a team • Selling yourself, and your firm (benefits not features) • Managing a project, coping when it goes wrong • Reflecting and learning so it’s better next time • All in the context of “making a difference” Alice Owen, Employability Symposium

15. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds How are those skills developed? • Case studies and group work on consultancy projects in Semester 1 and 2 • Workshops on CVs, personal effectiveness, presentation skills, time management • Lots of input from external speakers and potential employers – >30% of programme-specific content, plus programme of non-curriculum speakers/alumni. • Placement project is applied for – experience of a recruitment process • Self-managing placement project – assessed through presentation as well as report and reflection • IEMA accreditation – in progress Alice Owen, Employability Symposium

16. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds If it’s so vocational, how’s it an MSc at Leeds? • It is research- based – applied research! • Critical engagement and evaluation at every stage • Reflective practice YOUR NAME HERE, Employability Symposium

17. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Skills and knowledge needs – for staff • Networking skills • Empathy for employers • Clarity of communication – user-focussed! • Translation – from academic to employer • Project management and planning • Capacity to track and work with alumni – keep offering them something back • War stories and personal experience • Controversially – NOT research knowledge and experience Alice Owen, Employability Symposium

18. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Symposium Social Accountability in the School of Medicine Nicholas Leigh-Hunt Public Health Registrar & Honorary Lecturer, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences Laura Stroud Director of Student Education, School of Medicine (Current) Deborah Murdoch-Eaton Director of Student Education, School of Medicine (Previous)

19. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What is Social Accountability? • “…The obligation (of medical schools) to direct their education, research and service activities towards addressing the priority health concerns of the community, region, or nation they have a mandate to serve. The priority health concerns are to be identified jointly by governments, health care organisations, health professionals and the public…” (Boelen & Heck, 1995) • Detailed in the Global Consensus Statement for Social Accountability of Medical Schools • How does this relate to employability? Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

20. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Relevance to Employability • Instilling professional values alongside practical skills and knowledge to be a caring and competent practitioner • Engaging with the community to teach adaptability to different environments, populations, and the changing nature of medicine • Facilitate new medical graduates to advocate for populations they serve • The Francis Report: putting patient needs, transparency and accountability before organisational needs Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

21. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Adoption of Social Accountability • Social Accountability Working Group • Mapping activities and identification of action plan in line with School of Medicine Student Education Strategy Action Plan • Link with environmental sustainability • Research to identify the levers and barriers to adoption Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

22. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Identification of Levers and Barriers to Adoption • Literature Review • Semi-structured interviews of senior staff in Leeds • Qualitative analysis of findings • Feedback to Social Accountability Working Group Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

23. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What are the Levers and Barriers to Adoption? • External factors • Institutional Systems & Values • Student Selection & Values • Curriculum Content & Delivery • Research Priorities & Design • Partnership Issues • Evaluation Methods & Frameworks Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

24. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Examples of Levers and Barriers to Adoption Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

25. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Study Recommendations (Students) • Encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds via outreach programmes, targeted information, financial and psychological support and avoid the use of preferential admission policies • Select students with appropriate values by assessing personal attributes, cognitive abilities and requiring demonstration of their involvement in socially useful voluntary work • Consider the impact of the economic recession on student diversity • Prioritise graduate retention for areas with doctor shortages or with a need for clearly identified locally relevant skills Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

26. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Study Recommendations (Curriculum) • Develop innovative curricular strands such as IDEALS  to develop adaptable, caring competent practitioners avoiding a narrow focus on the acquisition of clinical skills • Introduce the concept of social accountability early and throughout the curriculum, and engage students with it by using community placements and projects • Foster opportunities for voluntary work and provide opportunities for paid employment in community placements for less well off students • Empower students to challenge health professionals in ethically dubious situations via peer reflective learning sessions • Enable students to learn from inspiring tutors from local communities, their international peers, and maximise their learning from electives Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

27. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Conclusion • We aim to move from being socially responsible to becoming socially accountable • New graduates will then be better suited to meet the current and future requirements society will have of them Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

28. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds References • Boelen, C. & Heck, J. E. (1995). Defining and measuring the social accountability of medical schools. Geneva: World Health Organisation. • Global Consensus Statement for Social Accountability of Medical Schools, http://healthsocialaccountability.org/ • The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (Francis Report) (2013). http://www.midstaffspublicinquiry.com/report • School of Medicine Student Education Strategy Action Plan (November 2012) • IDEALS, https://www.medicine.leeds.ac.uk/curriculum Nicholas Leigh-Hunt, Employability Symposium

29. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Symposium Delivering a cultural change in the perceptions of incoming students towards employability Gillian Barber Senior Careers Consultant, Careers Centre

30. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds To deliver culture change in the perceptions of incoming students, encouraging them to understand and play an active role in the development of their employability. • Aims • Students to actively engage with employability at an earlier stage • 40% of level 2 students moving to the ‘Plan stage’ • Faculties to include ‘Employability’ in pre entry information to incoming students Gill Barber, Employability Symposium

31. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds To achieve this:- • Active Engagement with more incoming students by • Liaising with the Education Engagement team to support the work they are doing • Work closely with Faculty colleagues to offer sessions for pre entry and level 1 • Encourage employers to consider level 1 students for placements and to identify these on our webs Gill Barber, Employability Symposium

32. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Range of activities • Pre entry – Summer School, Access to Leeds, Open Day, Festival of Science, Maths 6th form conference, working with the Foundation courses • Level 1 – increase inductions, targeted talks, Career Planning modules, employability seminar • Encouraging level 1 students to attend sessions that are put on for all students Gill Barber, Employability Symposium

33. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Results • Numbers seen at pre entry and level in year 1 of project • 123 sessions delivered to level 1 students compared to 43 the previous year 151% increase • Aim to have 40% level 2 students at the Plan stage Results show 39.75 in Sept 2013 compared to 37.39% in 2012 Gill Barber, Employability Symposium

34. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Sustainability • Employability issues are now looked at by all Faculties through the FEWGs • Network of Employability colleagues in Faculties • Part of the university strategy to enhance the student experience • Risks • The current enthusiasm needs to be maintained, as so many people are involved Gill Barber, Employability Symposium

35. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Symposium Nurturing Talent – career mentoring that makes a difference Hamieda Begum Leeds University Business School

36. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Symposium And now for something completely different! Engaging medical students by broadening their experience. Josie Mellor & Jodi Gunning Research, Evaluation & Special Studies Project MBChB Programme

37. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Introduction & Background Research, Evaluation & Special Studies is a core strand of the undergraduate medical curriculum at Leeds. The GMC recommend medical schools “include opportunities for students to exercise choice in areas of interest.” as an “integral part of the curriculum”. To deliver GMC TD requirements we run the RESS 2-3 Special Studies Project. Each year, 2nd and 3rd year students are given the opportunity to study areas outside of ‘mainstream medicine’ via an intensive 2 week project.

38. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds The Special Studies Project • Students choose from a wide portfolio of projects including topics such as; • Uniquely, second and third year peers work together on their chosen project. • Students are assessed on a 2500 word reflective journal. Medicine and the Police Foreign Language Skills British Sign Language Spirituality & Medicine Social Entrepreneurship Yorkshire Ambulance Teaching Skills History of Medicine Community Placement Alcoholism Medics & Social Justice International Health

39. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds The Special Studies Project

40. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Today we willdiscuss how this module aims to.. Foster understanding of other organisations and disciplines they will encounter during their careers Focus on transferrable skills essential for graduates’ future careers. Encourage students to engage with the wider community. Equip students for their future career, empowering them to consider their career paths.

41. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Employability Choosing their own projects encourages students to manage the direction of their careers and allows them to explore areas for future specialisation. Exposure to different working environments gives students first hand experience of the real world they will encounter on graduation. E.G. Medicine & the Police. All projects are designed to develop critical reflection, personal development and enterprise skills. On graduation students will be working in a business . Businesses need enterprising people who can see opportunities for enhancement and have the confidence to make change happen. Specific projects focus on navigating the changing environment of the NHS and the corporate sector. E.G. Understanding Organisations, Professional & Personal Development

42. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Transferrable Skills Each project designed to develop specific skills from the range here. E.G. Spirituality & Medicine offer communication, negotiation and team working. The critical reflection process enables students to articulate how they have learned these essential skills. Adaptability Communication Creative Thinking Innovative Ideas Leadership Negotiation Networking Organisation Planning Team Working From our students.. “As this project highlights race and cultural differences it’s the perfect opportunity for me to develop my understanding of equality and diversity and learn to be diplomatic when expressing different viewpoints.”

43. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds • Student Engagement • Experiential Learning • Talks by specialists • Talks by service users • Attending meetings E.G. AA, Afro-Caribbean Diabetes Group • Role-play • Giving presentations • Site visits E.G. HMP Armley, St Georges Crypt • Ambulance shifts • Teaching in primary schools • Engaging with Others • Students work with • Peers in years 2 and 3. • Academics from other disciplines • Cross-institutional working E.G. Chaplaincy, Language Centre • External organisations E.G. West Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Leeds City Council • Community groupsE.G. Leeds Organic Growers, Big Issue, Emmaus, Leeds Mind.

44. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Evaluation “Learning an aspect of medicine that one would not learn directly from the curriculum. This stimulates intellectual curiosity.” “Having a non-medical academic teach really broadened my perspectives and allowed me to observe an outsider's view of the medical profession.” “Unique insight into an organisation I would not have had the opportunity to experience”

45. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Student Achievements International Business award and patent for wireless heart monitor (Enterprise project): Scott Murgatroyd, Helen Whitward, Matthew Stanford, Ayelet Melman. University of Leeds Enterprise Scholar: Chiraag Thackrar

46. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What’s next for the RESS SSP? • We are proactively seeking new ideas and suggestions for future small projects related to medicine in some way. • Students have been asked this year what projects they would like to see in our portfolio (E.G. Music Therapy, Yoga, Child Protection). • Any questions…. • Thank you for listening.