Providing Q-Step work placements at The Prince’s Trust | Case study

By Nuffield Foundation

Nadav Atik’s experience providing Q-Step work placements

 

Q-Step work placement host
The Prince’s Trust
Literature reviews, cleaning and analysing data, synthesising research and organisational strategy, and providing training on how to use R Studio software

 

What projects did the placement students work on with you?

A range of different tasks, such as conducting literature reviews, cleaning and analysing data, synthesising research and organisational strategy, and providing training on how to use R Studio software.

What did the Q-Step students gain?

The students learned about our work with vulnerable young people, the issues that they face and the impact that we can have on them. They also learned about how monitoring and evaluation works in a large charity, from how we define and measure our impact to how we collect, analyse and use data.

The students gained hands-on experience in the charity sector. They also gained and refined skills in areas such as analysis and synthesis, research, presenting data, designing and providing training, and using digital tools.

What did your organisation gain?

The students took ownership of some valuable work and delivered it to a high standard. They also added extra value through sharing their specialist skills and expertise.

We now have an analysis that brings together findings from all internal and external evaluation projects we have undertaken in recent years, along with a summary of external research on interventions with young offenders. We also have knowledge on how to conduct basic statistical tests using R Studio software.

What skills did the Q-Step students bring?

  • Analytical skills, which they were able to apply to add value and quality to a range of different tasks

  • Knowledge and skills in the discipline of social science, including an understanding of statistics and the ability to assess research

  • Digital skills; in particular, experience using R Studio software

  • Creativity to find innovative ways of presenting and sharing information.
  • What challenges, if any, did hosting a student present to you / your organisation?

    There were some short periods where we didn’t have a task for one of the students, but we wanted to ensure that they were spending their time in a way that was valuable for them and for the organisation.

    Will you/your organisation host more Q-Step students?

    We will definitely consider it, if there are periods where we are struggling with capacity or where there are specific projects where we could benefit from the expertise of a student.

    The students took ownership of some valuable work and delivered it to a high standard. They also added extra value through sharing their specialist skills and expertise.” Nadav Atik, Placement provider

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    We improve people’s lives by funding research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare and Justice. We also fund student programmes that give young people skills and confidence in science and research.

    We offer our grant-holders the freedom to frame questions and enable new thinking. Our research must stand up to rigorous academic scrutiny, but we understand that to be successful in effecting change, it also needs to be relevant to people’s experience.

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