Find out more about Student Placements
What's involved?
The student scheme is a volunteer opportunity for either a minimum of 12 weeks full time through the summer, timed to fit in with university holidays or for 6-12 months during the academic year. We aim to have a group of students who can work together and support each other.
We don’t assume any knowledge but are looking for enthusiastic people with a passion to help their community with an eye on their own career development.
We will provide enjoyable, interesting, structured and comprehensive training in all areas to equip you to provide a service to our clients. This will include training on how to engage with clients, interview and telephone skills as well as training in key advice areas such as debt, benefits, housing, employment and family.
Early on in the training you will be required to speak to clients both on the telephone and face to face, which will build your confidence in using our systems and identifying and addressing client needs.
Once you have completed the training you will be able to help clients with their problems by providing structured information from approved information sources.
Please read the role description attached. We will be holding virtual information sessions for the Summer 2024 Student Placement in Spring 2024. You can register your interest by emailing recruitment@castad.org.uk.
We are still accepting applications for the 2023/2024 academic year placement. If you're interested in a full-time role for 6 months or a part-time role 12 months, please contact us.
What qualifications do I need?
There are no specific qualifications but we need you to have completed at least one year of your university degree in any subject and:
- Be in agreement with our aims principles and values
- Respect people’s differences and treat everyone with courtesy and kindness
- Understand that coming to us and confronting that there is an issue may be the hardest step for the client
- Like meeting new people and have an open, enquiring mind
- Be able to focus and pay close attention to the person you are helping
- Be able to read carefully and digest complex information
- Be able to explain in simple language information that is complex
- Be willing to learn and accept constructive feedback
- Be patient and tolerant with yourself as well as others
- Be flexible, willing to accommodate the needs of colleagues and of the organisation’s aims
Why join our student placement scheme?
- You will get the chance to learn transferable new skills, e.g. interviewing, explaining information and researching, and to use them to help others improve their lives, which can be immensely satisfying
- You will gain knowledge that may be useful in your own personal life, e.g. your housing and employment rights, council tax liabilities, tv licences.
- You will have invaluable work experience to add to your CV. Former students have found that the scheme was a main talking point in interviews.
- The scheme has helped some students decide on their future career direction, and some have based research papers on subjects they have covered with us.
- References can be provided to future employers.
Student volunteering helped me.....
"Develop key soft skills that will be useful in my future career as a solicitor.
Interacting with clients directly taught me interpersonal skills and how to communicate effectively with a diverse range of people"
"Gain experience communicating with clients."
"Gain experience working in an office environment"
"Gain the experience I needed to succeed at my graduate job interview"
"To learn new skills and make a difference in my local community!"