The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) is a charity which aims to make a
practical improvement in social mobility for young people from
low-income backgrounds.
In summer 2017, a total of 36 Year 12 students on the SMF Programme undertook two three-day placements with UCL Institute of Neurology, hosted by David Blundred, Head of Teaching and Learning Support. During their time on the programme students had the opportunity to develop key skills and areas of knowledge in line with SMF's Managing My Future Framework.
“I was surprised to see so many different types of workers in one organisation. My internship allowed me to gain more knowledge of the variety of jobs within healthcare. This was an invaluable opportunity!”
- 83% of students said that the placement either exceeded or met their expectations
- 90% of students felt that they would not have been able to secure the placement at UCL Institute of Neurology without the help of the SMF
- 80% of the students said that they are likely to apply to opportunities at UCL Institute of Neurology in the future
- 100% of students said that the placement helped them to gain an insight into their chosen career from individuals currently working in the profession.
“It was a very enjoyable experience and I found the talks from the professionals very useful as they gave a lot of valuable advice. I definitely learned more about the Institution of neurology and what they do, and was really impressed with what I had seen.”
“During the internship I found the people who worked at the Institute and the hospital very encouraging and friendly. It was especially insightful going to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery to see how the system worked there.”
“I enjoyed the talks from the different lecturers especially the lectures about how prion particles work and the effect of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The lab tours were interesting and it was helpful to see what different kinds of research takes place in the lab.”