Community project placements: what do nursing students learn?

Non-clinical ‘civic engagement’ placements at a charity or grassroots organisation help students develop an understanding of how health inequalities affect health

Civic engagement placements in nurse education are non-clinical placements developed in partnership with local community organisations, in a spirit of civic engagement.

In practice, your placement may be with a grassroots community organisation, such as a youth initiative, community centre or neighbourhood training centre, or involve working with a charity or voluntary association, local public health lead, social prescribing network or social housing provider.

What are the benefits of civic engagement placements for nursing students?

Opportunities outside NHS clinical areas challenge students’ perceptions of healthcare, encouraging them to focus on the effects of the wider social determinants of