What are the Benefits of Project-Based Placements?

Project-based placements can provide many benefits for the Practice Educator(s) (PEs), students, team/service and those receiving care:

For Practice Educators and their Team :

Meaningful project work can be completed:

Students can progress meaningful service improvement ideas, tests of change or resources that the team have identified but not had capacity to initiate or complete, including quality assurance activities.
Students may bring a fresh perspective, different knowledge and skills, and up to date evidence/research to pieces of work for the team.

Increases flexibility and opportunities to support practice-based learning:

Project-based placements can be combined with other models/methods of delivery to ensure the placement works best for your team or service. They may be used alongside peer-assisted learning and/or long arm supervision. They can also be part of a role-emerging or inter-professional placement.
As students can work on projects independently and remotely/outside of clinical areas, project placements can reduce pressure on individuals, teams and services with heavy workloads or busy clinical areas. Students working on projects together can provide peer support and feedback which can also lessen pressure on PEs.
Project-based placements provide opportunity for PEs working part time or in less traditional roles, e.g. health promotion, education, consultancy, leadership, etc. to meet HCPC requirements and the AHP PrBL consensus statements to support students, and contribute to succession planning for these roles.
PEs can support students with skills across the four pillars of practice, offering a wider range of learning opportunities.

Strengthen networks and collaboration:

Supervising students working remotely on a project with a partner organisation can strengthen relationships and networks with these organisations.

For Students:

Impact and accomplishment:

Students can contribute to real service development and improvements and make a
meaningful impact for people who receive care and the AHP team.
Working on a project can build students’ independence and confidence.

Development of knowledge and skills:

Students can develop a wide range of valuable skills including leadership, project management, research skills, problem-solving, interprofessional teamwork,
time management, communication and self-directed learning. Clinical projects develop
additional skills to academic work.
Project-based placements can provide opportunities to work across the four pillars of practice (clinical skills, facilitation of learning, leadership, research) and apply learning in practice.
They support students to learn in depth about a particular clinical area, e.g. if developing
resources, supporting a stronger understanding.
Project-based placements can provide an opportunity to practice and develop research and
data analysis skills, e.g. if carrying out a literature review, data collection and reporting or exploring the evidence base to shape and direct a project.
Sharing the results of their work, e.g. presenting to others, builds valuable skills and
experience for future work.
Skills developed during project-based placements are highly desirable in employment and
can provide evidence for application forms or interview

For People who Receive Care

Improves service quality

With time and opportunity for service development and evaluation, student-led projects can enhance quality of service delivery.

Provides professional insights

If a student is working on a project in a setting which does not normally benefit from their profession, they can provide valuable insight and experience. This can promote the contribution of their profession across sectors and organisations.

Improves communication between services