Sport science students make an impact with nearly 15,000 hours of placements

The students from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences have not only been able to learn from their peers across a range of disciplines including coaching, nutrition, psychology, physical education, and clinical exercise physiology, but they have made an impact in the communities they’ve worked alongside.

The Inclusive Hub empowers people of all ages and abilities across Liverpool through exercise and education. A group of sport psychology students have been working with the club since January, undertaking a range of sporting activities with a diverse group of people with additional and behavioural needs. The students also helped to create sessions for school classes that the hub runs within the local community.

Liam Starkey from The Inclusive Hub said: “The sport psychology students from LJMU who took part in placements with us added a massive positive knowledge to our disabled members, mental health groups and bespoke school sessions we provide. Patient, calm and verbally brilliant, the students adapted quite easily to the different sessions we offer. We hope to nurture this partnership with LJMU for years to come as its benefits everyone involved, most importantly our participants.”

Dr Laura Thomas, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, said: “We are very grateful to The Inclusive Hub for the amazing placement experience they hosted for our BSc Sport Psychology students. Applied placements offer invaluable opportunities for our students to put the knowledge, skills and theory learned on their degree into real-word practice. The students were really excited to both learn from and support the fantastic work at The Inclusive Hub.”  

This year students have also worked in the community with Warrington Rowing Club, supporting many aspects of their youth rowing activities through a series of placements across various degree programmes.

Student, Jon Edwards, said: “The best thing about The Inclusive Hub placement was that it was very hands on. We didn’t sit back and observe, instead we had an active role in their sessions which was very rewarding.

"Working with diverse exercise populations during my placement at the Inclusive Hub solidified my interest in the exercise side of sport psychology, helping me decide on my career focus going forward."

Students have also worked within elite sport, undertaking work-based placements with both men’s and women’s teams at Liverpool and Everton football clubs. Some students even attended the FA Women’s Championship final home game where LFC Women raised the trophy after taking victory and gaining promotion to the Women’s Super League.

Nicola Smith, Placement Learning Support Unit Manager within the Faculty of Science, said: “Placements provide an excellent opportunity to enhance students’ employability and for them to gain real-world insight into industries where they hope to carve out successful careers. They really do provide a meaningful experience for our students to learn new skills while also benefitting the array of organisations who work closely with us to provide these opportunities in the first place.  

“The Science Placement Learning Support Unit Team champion the importance of work-related activity in partnership with local, national and international organisations to provide the skills and knowledge for the future success of our students.”

Visit our School of Sport and Exercise Sciences webpage to find out how to study at LJMU and for more about student placement opportunities under the careers page.  

If your organisation is interested in offering placement opportunities to LJMU students from across the Faculty of Science, find out how you can work in partnership with us.