Supported internships explained – what are they and who can get one?
St John’s College recently announced a new programme of Supported Internships to be delivered at the University of Sussex. They join a number of other providers such as, Little Gate, Project Search, Team Dominica in delivering this training option which might be ideal for your young person.
What is a supported internship?
The ethos of supported internships is that, with the appropriate preparation, most young people with SEND are capable of paid employment. However, the jump from the classroom to a workplace is a huge challenge, so a supported internship offers a bridge between them. Supported internships are suitable for 16-24 year olds, but providers may limit the age range or put other conditions in place. St John’s, for example, will be recruiting only autistic young people for their programme starting in September.
How do supported internships work?
Supported interns spend around a third of their time with a learning provider, working on a personalised programme that will include numeracy and literacy. The rest of the time will be spent working with an experienced job coach in a workplace to develop the skills they need to hold down paid employment. The job coach will familiarise themselves with the young person’s job and break it down into small, achievable tasks. This allows the intern to learn the tasks at their own pace, with personalised support form someone able to model workplace behaviours. In some cases the job coach may be involved in job carving – working with the employer to alter the job description so that it plays to the strength of the young person and removes barriers to their success in the workplace.
Supported internships last between 6-12 months and are offered at a variety of levels to suit the skills of the young person and the requirements of specific job roles. Young people must have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in place to take part in a supported apprenticeship. The aim is to move the young person from education into employment. Successful recruitment to a supported internship will involve vocational profiling to establish the young person’s skills, interests and needs and analysis of the job descriptions to determine the best fit.
For many young people, the support they receive with CV-building and job applications as part of their supported internship will greatly improve their chances of finding work. Of course there is no guarantee of the work placement offering a job to a young person at the end of the supported internship but for many employers they can see that they are being presented with a fully-trained employee who has proven that they can already do the job and fit in well in the workplace.
Click on the individual provider’s links in the first paragraph to get more information about each of them offers. Or search online for supported internships in your area.
Further information
- Amaze advice about Work and volunteering
- Supported internships – GOV.UK
- Get help to find an internship or supported internship | Brighton & Hove
- Workability – IMPACT INITIATIVES |Brighton & Hove
- Supported Employment (Inclusive Apprenticeships and Internships) | East Sussex Local Offer
- Supported Internships |Careers East Sussex
