Volunteering whilst studying is probably the easiest way to gain work experience as it is easier to get a voluntary role and it is usually flexible so you can fit it around your studies. Also, you get a lot of personal reward from volunteering. There are many opportunities available for students and if you are looking into a career in a competitive field, it is important to stand out from the crowd with work experience in that field.
For me, it was important to gain experience in a Clinical Psychology setting; so I got in-touch with Merseycare (NHS) who provide in and out-patient care for people experiencing mental distress. Now, I currently volunteer in a mental health hospital in Liverpool on the dementia ward. Volunteering for Merseycare has opened my eyes to how mental health services are ran by the NHS and the wide array of distress that people may experience.
You can find voluntary work in most places, however, if looking for voluntary work relevant to Psychology take a look on the BPS site at; http://www.bps.org.uk/jobs/voluntary-posts/voluntary-posts
Also, the University of Liverpool’s Career Hub advertise voluntary job roles such as research assistants and charity ambassadors.
Additionally, if you are ambitious about a certain Psychology field, business or charity you can always approach them for voluntary work to.
