Presentation at HEA-funded workshop 'Work-based learning in Politics and International Studies: from theory to practice'. The workshop brought together key stakeholders in the delivery of work-based learning and employability skills in the Politics and International Relations (IR) disciplines including academics, employers and careers advisors. Through presentations and discussion delegates had the opportunity to share best practice on existing work-based learning schemes and developing employability skills. This presentation is part of a related blog post that provides an overview of the event: http://bit.ly/1x0KPae For further details of the HEA's work on Employability and Global Citizenship in the Social Sciences see: http://bit.ly/17n8Knj

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Work-­‐based
learning
in
Poli1cs
&
Interna1onal
Studies:
from
theory
to
prac1ce
Dr
Sophia
Price
Principal
Lecturer,
Poli<cs
and
Applied
Global
Ethics
Leeds
Metropolitan
University

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Work
–
Based
Learning
“There
is
strong
evidence
to
indicate
that
authen<c
work
experience
contextualises
learning,
has
a
strong
influence
on
graduate
employment
and
should
be
integrated
into
course
curricula
wherever
possible.
In
order
to
maximise
learning
for
employability
and
the
academic
subject
it
is
important
that
this
should
be
a
pedagogically
supported
experience,
which
includes
reflec<on
and
ar<cula<on
of
the
learning
achieved.”(Pegg
et
al.
2012)

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Work
based
learning
in
PAGE
UG
PorFolio
Courses
• BA
(hons)
Poli<cs,
• BA
(hons)
Interna<onal
Rela<ons
&
Global
Development,
• BA
(hons)
Interna<onal
Rela<ons
&
Peace
Graduate
A"ributes:
• Digital
literacy,
• Enterprise,
• Global
Outlook

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How
?
• Level
6
• Compulsory
100
hours
Voluntary
Work
Placement
(block
or
incremental)
• Self
organised,
independent
• Learning
Outcomes:
• Evalua<on
of
roles,
responsibili<es
and
organisa<ons
• Cri<cal
understanding
and
reflec<on
• Effec<ve
communica<on
• Develop
digital
literacy

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Assessment
A. Individual
Presenta1on
(20%)
(15
min
reflec<ve
account)
1. Descrip<on
of
organisa<on
and
role/
ac<vi<es
2. Rela<onship
of
volunteering/work
prac<ce
to
course
area
3. Details
of
role
and
ac<vi<es
undertaken
4. Reflec<on:
effec<veness
of
performance
5. Reflec<on
on
what
was
learned
in
rela<on
to
your
employability
and
future
plans
• Opportunity
for
feedback
.
• Audience:
L4/5,
staff
team
&
guests
(?)
B.
PorFolio
(80%)
Reflec1ve
component
(50%)
1. Le"er
to
confirm
hours
and
role
2. CV
(2
sides
A4
maximum)
3. Reflec<ve
report
(indica<ve
2000
words)
Cri1cal
academic
report
(50%)
1500
words
1. Analysis
of
the
organisa<on
/
ac<vi<es
/
sector
2. Rela<onship
to
your
course
3. Cri<cal
engagement
with
academic
literature

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Examples
of
Volunteering
Domes<c
• MPs
–
Westminster,
Scodsh
Parliament,
Stormont,
local
cons<tuency
offices
and
research
offices
.
• Member
of
the
House
of
Lords
• Regional
Poli<cal
Party
offices
• Local
councillors
and
Mayors
• IPPR
North
• NGOs
and
lobby
groups
–
Greenpeace,
CND,
Oxfam
• Campaigns
-­‐
Love
Music,
Hate
Racism;
An<-­‐
bedroom
Tax
• Schools
-­‐
primary
and
secondary
• Ford
Open
Prison
and
Armley
• Trade
Unions
and
the
Regional
TUC
• South
Yorkshire
Migra<on
and
Asylum
Service
• Media
-­‐
Local
papers,
BBC
Jersalem
• Support
groups:
Somalian
Womens’
group,
refugee
ac<on,
samaritans;
rough
sleepers
project
Interna<onal
• Human
Rights
commission
Buenos
Aires
• Spanish
Embassy
Tehran
• Street
work
Project
Mexico
• BBC
Jerusalem
• WWOOF
Interna<onal
• Orphanages
and
Teaching:
Vietnam,
Tanzania,
India,
Nepal,
Ghana
• Environmental
ac<on
groups:
Crete,
Dominican
republic
• Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs,
Qatar
• Amnesty
Brazil

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Innova1ons
• Compe<<ve
internships
–
to
build
ongoing
rela<onships
with
par<cular
organisa<ons
• Pebble
pad
porpolios
–
built
over
level
4
and
5
in
prepara<on
for
level
6
assessment
• Cri<cal
report
–
to
develop
link
to
academic
literature
in
rela<on
to
course
aims,
and
develop
understanding
of
Poli<cs/Interna<onal
Rela<ons/
Global
Development/
Peace

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Challenges:
• To
ensure
that
both
the
student
and
the
organisa<on
maximise
the
benefits
from
the
voluntary
placement
• To
build
links
with
organisa<ons
that
are
prepared
to
offer
short
term
voluntary
placements
• To
develop
contribu<on
from
PAGE
students
to
local
community
in
par<cular.