Putting the ace in placement
Whether you’re placed directly with the people who use our services or behind the scenes in one of our offices, the time you spend in your placement will go towards supporting other people to feel happier, healthier, and live their best lives.
Not only will you be joining an organisation with over 100 years of history, but you’ll also gain valuable insight into how a national charity and social care organisation works. You’ll be surrounded by our trusty teammates who’ll show you the ropes and help you get the best out of your time with PSS. Putting your learning into practice and gaining real life experience.
I really enjoy being a student here because you get to work with so many different people and so many different services.
- Joe, social work student
Real life experience with real life learning
How long is each placement?
Our placements come in all shapes and sizes, from occasional observational visits to long-term professional placements. The type of placement you’re given will depend on your course and what you’re looking to achieve by the end of it. We’ll look at any goals you might have and match them up with the opportunities that we have available.
What will I get involved with?
Working in social care means no two days are the same (in the best possible way!).
Depending on where placement is, you might spend time observing how our services work and meeting the people we support. You might take part in activities or projects with a specific goal in mind. Or you might work alongside our teammates providing top-notch support to the people we support.
Before you start, we’ll match you with suitable activities and learning objectives with you and/or your education provider, factoring in the experience you’re looking to gain.
The type of placement you’re involved in will be matched as closely as possible to the reflect your experience, your course requirements and the opportunities we have in our services.
What support will I get?
At PSS, you're never alone. We'll be with you every step of the way on your placement. You'll even have your very own supervisor or placement buddy who will be there to cheer you on.
You’ll attend our awesome induction where you’ll get a virtual whistle-top tour of PSS, our culture, the work we’re doing to make sure everyone feels like they belong and everything else in between.
For professional placements, we’ll agree the supervision and review arrangements required for your course.
We’ll also discuss any accessibility needs or reasonable adjustments with you so you can feel fully supported to get the most from your experience.
Are placements only for students at Liverpool-based universities?
Our HQ might be based in Liverpool but that doesn’t mean we’re biased. We welcome enquiries from universities, colleges and other education providers across England and Wales.
Whether we accept your placement will depend on our ability to meet what you’re looking for. That might be down to service capacity or having the right supervision in place. We really want you to get the most out of your experience with PSS.
Will I need to travel?
This will depend on where you’re based for your placement. You might be based in one of our Merseyside-based services or in one of our seven regional Shared Lives schemes. You might also need to do a bit of travel locally whilst you’re getting out and about in the community.
What are the benefits of a placement?
You’ll have the chance to:
Build confidence and develop skills relevant to your future career.
Combine your studies with real experiences.
Learn from our ace teammates and the people we support - the real experts in the field.
Explore different roles and understand how organisations work within charity and social care sector.
Bring fresh ideas and make a meaningful contribution to the work we’re doing.
You belong
Here at PSS, we're determined to be a place where everyone feels they belong, no-matter who they are, who they love, or where they're from.
We don't stand for oppression of any kind round here - and we're on a mission to be the most inclusive organisation we can be.
When you join PSS, you'll be treated with respect and kindness, and celebrated for your differences.
How do I apply for a student placement?
If you like what you’ve heard so far, get in touch with Erica, at Students@pss.org.uk or ask your university or college placement team to get in touch on your behalf.
Please include what you’re studying, year of study, education provider, preferred dates, placement length, objectives, supervision or assessment requirements too. We’ll then review your enquiry and explore suitable opportunities.
The staff are all really kind and happy to work with you. You feel a sense of achievement every single day.
- Joe, social work student
More about us
Our values
We may be blowing our own trumpet, but our team really is something special. PSS people come from all different walks of life, and it’s this mix of brilliant personalities, experiences and insight that gives us that warm, open and friendly culture.
High quality support
How we keep people safe when they're supported at PSS.
About PSS
Learn all about PSS, who we are, where we came from and all the other exciting bits.