Developing and sustaining practice placements in small voluntary agencies

Providing social work practice placements within the voluntary sector with appropriate learning opportunities for students is possible if support and training is available. This has been the experience of the writer who describes her experience of working with others to provide placements within small voluntary agencies, and later as a practice co-ordinator for the social work programme at the University of Wales Swansea. This article describes how a consortium of agencies worked together towards Agency Approval, and emphasises the crucial part the voluntary sector plays in providing opportunities for learning. Examples and ideas of how support can be given to small voluntary sector placements are included.