Knowledge for Change

Programme Description

Knowledge for Change (K4C) is a unique international placement provider that offers ethical, professional and impactful international placement opportunities for health, social science and education students in Uganda and Tanzania. Initially funded by Health Education England, the programme was designed to maximise learning opportunities and mitigate the risks to both students and patients inherent within many other international placement opportunities. A key element of the programme is the bespoke, high quality supervision provided by our own UK trained and registered healthcare professionals, as well as our experienced Ugandan and Tanzanian clinical staff. K4C is registered as a placement provider with NHS England, and many students complete the placements as part of their academic programme (as opposed to being purely elective) as we can meet the supervision requirements of many professional bodies such as the NMC and HCPC.

During their placements, students are actively immersed in our charity's ongoing international development, health/education systems strengthening and global health research programmes, as well as undertaking practical placements directly relevant to their programme of study. Our key partner facilities include large urban hospitals, small rural health centres, community based organisations and primary and secondary schools.

Placements run for either 30 or 37.5 hours per week from Monday to Friday, depending on the requirements of their academic programme. Students receive a bespoke timetable based on their course and personal preferences. Spoking/exposure opportunities are also offered, giving students further unique learning opportunities. All students attend comprehensive pre-placement induction and orientation sessions, as well as in-depth weekly debriefing and reflection, to guide their experience and further enhance their learning. Placements can be any duration, from a minimum of 2 weeks.

Eligibility

Students must be at least 18 years old to partake in our international opportunities, and must be registered on a relevant University programme. Placements must be at least 2 weeks in duration.

Application Process

K4C’s application process is simple yet robust. Students need to complete an application form which can be accessed via our website. We then verify the details with a relevant member of staff from their University to ensure the placement opportunity is appropriate and that any additional support required is put in place. Once the placement is confirmed, students are issued with a Placement Agreement and are invited to attend a pre-placement induction session, which takes place roughly 2-3 months prior to their departure.

Fees & Funding

Programme Fees

As an ethically focused charity, Knowledge for Change is committed to keeping its placement costs as low as possible, and ensuring that any surplus funding is invested in our charitable projects and activities. Our placement costs are clear and transparent, with absolutely no hidden fees or up-front registration costs. The placement cost depends on the placement duration and location; more details can be found on our website: https://knowledge4change.org/student-placements/how-much-do-placements-cost/ To secure a placement, we require students to pay an initial deposit of £195 which is then subtracted from the placement cost. Placement costs include accommodation, airport transfers, placement related transport, supervision and hosting fees. The costs do not include flights, visas, food or drink, immunisations or non-placement related transport (e.g. for tourism purposes).

Funding & Scholarships

Knowledge for Change works closely with its partner Universities to support students to access any available funding. Most of our students can access Turing Scheme funding via their Universities. We also support any students that complete health placements with us as part of their academic programme to access the NHS learning support fund.

Travel & Visas

Travel

Students are required to book their own flights from their home country to their selected placement location, however guidance is provided to support this process. K4C arranges all in-country transport and accommodation, including airport transfers. Flights very significantly in price depending on the placement location, the time of year and how far in advance they are booked. They typically range from £500 (low season) to £1200 (high season).

Visas

Most passport holders require a visa to enter both Uganda and Tanzania, at a cost of $50. We provide step-by-step guidance for students to support the application process, which usually takes less than 1 week to finalise.

In-Country Support

Knowledge for Change’s experienced UK team will support students with their placement setup, induction and preparation, as well as reflection and debriefing once they have returned to the UK. There are also highly capable placement management teams based in-country to provide ongoing administrative, logistical and pastoral support from the moment students arrive to the moment they depart. Whilst on clinical placements, students are supervised by K4C’s own clinical staff and professional (UK registered) volunteer medics, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. This ensure high-quality supervision, minimises risk and maximises positive learning opportunities. These staff are also available to provide additional pastoral support if needed.

Intercultural & Career Development

All students are invited to attend a comprehensive pre-placement induction session, roughly 2 months prior to departure, which provides useful information about health and safety, risk, location related information, logistical arrangements, key cultural/contextual differences, common challenges faced by students and recommendations of fun things to do in free time. An additional induction and orientation session is provided in-country on the first day of placement. Whilst on placement, students are allocated a mentor or practice supervisor who will guide their learning and ensure they have a positive, safe and meaningful placement experience. This mentor will also guide students reflections and debriefing, supporting them to meet and articulate their desired learning outcomes. All students are requested to create and deliver a presentation at the end of their placement; the topic is flexible with some examples including their reflections on key element(s) of learning, reflection on an interesting patient case study or comparing practice between their home and placement contexts. Any students completing research focused placements will be allocated a UK based academic supervisor, who will guide their learning and support project implementation and publication (where appropriate).

Accommodation

Knowledge for Change has its own comfortable, risk assessed accommodations for hosting students. These are self-contained houses within secure walled compounds, with gardens, living areas, self-catering facilities, several bathrooms, Wi-Fi and office facilities. All accommodations are located within short walking distance of nearby town centres which have all essential amenities such as banks, restaurants, supermarkets and telecommunication outlets. Most rooms in the accommodations are twin rooms, meaning students may be required to share, however we avoid students sharing rooms with anyone they don’t know or with other sexes.

Health, Safety & Insurance

Knowledge for Change reviews its comprehensive Risk Assessment documentation annually, or sooner in case of any changes in circumstances or identification of new risks arising. Risk Assessments factor in all elements of risk including (but not limited to) political unrest, terrorism, environmental factors, ethical factors, cultural, legal and regulatory differences, travel risks, infectious diseases and placement specific risks such as those related to supervision and potential trauma. Our Health and Safety Policy ensures we adopt effective risk aversion and mitigation strategies, and that these strategies are communicated clearly and efficiently to all students, staff, volunteers, partners and relevant stakeholders. The safety, security and wellbeing of all our staff and students always remains our top priority.

Insurance is not included

Why we like Knowledge for Change

I first met James from Knowledge for Change at a placements conference back in 2016. At that stage K4C already had a magnificent programme and they've built on that considerably over the past decade. Their programmes really are the gold standard for volunteering overseas in term of academic rigour, student support and balancing real local impact with volunteers' skills development. Their programmes are particularly popular with students on health and social care degrees and students can apply for NHS placement funding to support their experience.

Jamie, Co-Founder at The Departure Board

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