NCWE Award Winners 2005-6 : Cancer Research UK

Photo: Annette Breeden (Cancer Research UK), Jenny Adams (Cancer Research UK) and Mike Hill (Graduate Prospects)

Cancer Research UK, the worlds leading cancer charity offers 12-week work placements for students and recent graduates looking for experience in the charitable sector.

Placement students are given a two-day company induction; all students take this together, giving them a chance to meet each other before commencing work and encourage cross-departmental communication between the placement students. Students are also introduced to a mentor; who are volunteers from management that meet with the placement student either weekly or fortnightly to review progress.

Cancer Research UK offers flexibility to its placement schemes to ensure placement students are in roles which interest them. All projects undertaken by placement students must be ones which no one else is working on and students are given project ownership at an appropriate level for them.

The placement scheme has been seen to also have a positive effect on the organisation, with projects undertaken having a tangible effect on the organisation.

Cancer Research UK began its placement scheme in response to demand for work experience in a charity. From March 2006 the organisation will increase its scheme to offer three intakes a year of 50 students at a time.

Key Success Factors

• Creating and expanding the placement scheme in response to demand.
• Offering a flexible approach which enables placements to be tailored to the students interests.
• A thorough induction welcomes placement students to the organisation and offers students an opportunity to meet each other before working together.

"Interns are given work to do on projects which will make a real difference to the charity” Jenny Adams, Volunteer Development Manager, Cancer Research UK.