Supported Internships
Supported Internships
Supported Internships are an education study programme for young people with learning disabilities aged 16 to 24 with an Education Health & Care Plan (EHCP) who want to move into employment and need extra support to do so. Put simply, they are an exit route from education into paid employment.
Supported Internships are work-based learning placements within mainstream employment settings. The aim is to secure a job at the end of the placement. Placements should last over 6 months and normally would be at least 20 hours per week. Generally, they involve three rotations i.e. the learner would try out three work roles within the company. The college provides group learning around the placement, often at the start and end of the day, but sometimes through day release. Many colleges provide the job coaching element of the course. Employers also play a key role in the internships. The key is to develop a strong partnership between employer, college, supported employment provider and the local authority. Any of these partners can lead the partnership.
This easy read guide is designed for young people to answer the following questions:
- What do I need to know about getting a job?
- What are Supported Internships?
- How can I find out about Supported Internships where I live?
- When should I tell people I want a Supported Internship?
- How do I know a Supported Internships programme is good?
- How can I get the funding, and will it affect my benefits?
- Can young people with a learning disability get paid jobs?
- How does it work?
- Anything else?
Locally, Supported Internships programmes are delivered by Dudley College and Halesowen.
For further information about these please contact
Kate Gibbs - Kate.Gibbs@dudleycol.ac.uk
Claire Hawkes chawkes@halesowen.ac.uk
see attached the Easy Read version for Young People and a YouTube video from Halesowen College giving an example of the Supported Internship placement at Audi