advice from politics applicants/mp work experience

4

anyone who has done work experience in parliament know when to email MPs about shadowing them? my exams end late may so idk if i should start now so that there is space for me, or if i should do summer work experience and email them later on? also i only really knew i wanted to do politics at the start of the year so would joining a party now be enough for ps time later this year?

Reply 1

Yazoo786_p

6

Original post by anam8

anyone who has done work experience in parliament know when to email MPs about shadowing them? my exams end late may so idk if i should start now so that there is space for me, or if i should do summer work experience and email them later on? also i only really knew i wanted to do politics at the start of the year so would joining a party now be enough for ps time later this year?

hi not politics but i did a summer internship at a large city firm , id say definitely email them as early as you can because i had to actually apply around november time and actually did my work experience in july

Reply 2

McGinger

20

Original post by anam8

anyone who has done work experience in parliament know when to email MPs about shadowing them? my exams end late may so idk if i should start now so that there is space for me, or if i should do summer work experience and email them later on? also i only really knew i wanted to do politics at the start of the year so would joining a party now be enough for ps time later this year?

Politics is an academic degree. Trotting around after an MP for a day wont impress any University and wont help your application. What Unis want to see is evidence of your academic interest in this subject - extra reading etc and your reflections on this. Spend the summer reading some serious newspapers, doing some Moocs, and listening to a lot of Radio 4, it'll be far more use.

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Reply 3

Jxip

11

Original post by anam8

anyone who has done work experience in parliament know when to email MPs about shadowing them? my exams end late may so idk if i should start now so that there is space for me, or if i should do summer work experience and email them later on? also i only really knew i wanted to do politics at the start of the year so would joining a party now be enough for ps time later this year?

McGinger makes a fair point and you should definitely include further reading as well, but actual experience is also good and campaigning/working alongside a councillor for something shows that you're actively interested. I'd message them asap to shadow so you can work out times or if you join a party you'll get emails about local campaigns which you can include in your personal statement

Reply 4

MillieeM2

12

You could join schemes, essay competitions or volunteer with a charity. IHAV mentoring scheme provides work experience and mentoring from a professional who works in the political sector that you’re interested in

Reply 5

anam8

OP

4

Original post by McGinger

Politics is an academic degree. Trotting around after an MP for a day wont impress any University and wont help your application. What Unis want to see is evidence of your academic interest in this subject - extra reading etc and your reflections on this. Spend the summer reading some serious newspapers, doing some Moocs, and listening to a lot of Radio 4, it'll be far more use.
Suggestions
Recommended Reading | Politics and International Relations | The University of Sheffield
Recommended Reading List | Department of Political Economy | King’s College London
How Politics Works: From the Individual to an International Scale - FutureLearn
Politics in the 21st Century-Online Course - FutureLearn
Civic Engagement in American Democracy | Coursera
Measuring Economic Inequality in Today’s World - Online Course - FutureLearn

Hi, thank you. I have done one essay competition and I have one or two that I'm currently planning, along with further reading and watching political lectures/PMQs. I just wanted to know of the timings for any extra activities to add something more onto my PS!

Reply 6

Havermelkelite_

11

Original post by McGinger

Politics is an academic degree. Trotting around after an MP for a day wont impress any University and wont help your application. What Unis want to see is evidence of your academic interest in this subject - extra reading etc and your reflections on this. Spend the summer reading some serious newspapers, doing some Moocs, and listening to a lot of Radio 4, it'll be far more use.
Suggestions
Recommended Reading | Politics and International Relations | The University of Sheffield
Recommended Reading List | Department of Political Economy | King’s College London
How Politics Works: From the Individual to an International Scale - FutureLearn
Politics in the 21st Century-Online Course - FutureLearn
Civic Engagement in American Democracy | Coursera
Measuring Economic Inequality in Today’s World - Online Course - FutureLearn

I disagree with this actually. Of course reading newspapers, books etc on the subject is very helpful, but if you spend enough time completing work experience with an MP you can learn applicable skills. And, if you reflect on it properly in the personal statement then it can be an asset. In my study program we were expected to conduct ethnographic research with civil servants and in government spaces, and we were asked to write policy papers. Getting work experience can help students get acquainted with these spaces and the type of language they use in work IRL.

Reply 7

Havermelkelite_

11

Original post by anam8

anyone who has done work experience in parliament know when to email MPs about shadowing them? my exams end late may so idk if i should start now so that there is space for me, or if i should do summer work experience and email them later on? also i only really knew i wanted to do politics at the start of the year so would joining a party now be enough for ps time later this year?

It’s not too late to join a party. I did in Yr13! I didn’t add it to my personal statement (I suppose I could have but I just didn’t at the time). You can learn a lot of useful skills, like how to go canvassing, which can help you improve your public speaking/improvising skills. You can also learn how to write policy motions for example. If you want to work in Parliament in the future, it can help to have this experience. Check out the website W4MP (Work 4 MP) it has some handy guides on work experience in Parliament.

advice from politics applicants/mp work experience

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