We are proud to support National Supported Internship Day taking place on Monday 27 March 2023. The day is a new government-backed day of action to help boost the number of people with a learning disability or autism spectrum condition in employment.
Led by charity DFN Project SEARCH, the day showcases the tremendous contribution that young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) can make to the workforce and raise awareness of the hugely positive impact a Supported Internship, a work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, has on the lives of the interns who take part.
We run a range of SEND-related programmes including a Supported Insight Scheme, which supports schools to enable learners to be prepared for an internship or employed pathway; and two Project SEARCH supported internship programmes.
Only 1.8% of people in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire with a learning disability and/or autism go on to secure paid employment. This compares to 4.8% in England. It is hugely important to work together to improve this and give every young adult with a learning disability the same opportunities as anyone else to transition from education to a fulfilling and successful career.
Sarah Cutler, SEND Programme Manager said, “We have seen first-hand the impact Supported Internships can have on the life outcomes of the interns who take part. Since starting in 2019, Project SEARCH Derby has had a 100% success rate in graduates gaining paid employment. We hope to see similar outcomes for Project SEARCH Chesterfield which started in September 2022.”
National Supported Internship Day is a call to everyone to support young disabled people into employment. Find out how to get involved here: www.dfnprojectsearch.org/national-supported-internship-day.
Project SEARCH Derby is run in partnership with St Martins School, NHS Hospitals of Derby and Burton and ISS. Project Search Chesterfield is a partnership between Derbyshire County Council, NHS Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Sodexo and Derbyshire Support and Facilities Services. They are both also supported by other committed employers, schools and partners offering opportunities or promoting inclusive practice to others.
Follow Project SEARCH Chesterfield and Project Search Derby on Twitter.
