Supported Internships
Supported internships are work based study programmes. Most of the week is in a workplace of your choice, with one day at college.
They are for young people aged 16 to 24 who have an Education Health and Care Plan and who need help to move into employment.
- Supported internships are based in the workplace with support for both the student and the employer. This support is gradually reduced over time as and when appropriate. The placement is unpaid and usually lasts for about a year.
- For the young person, the internship should contribute to long-term goals and fit with their working capabilities. However, they are given the support they need to make a success of the experience.
- For the employer, the internship must meet a real business need. There is the potential of a paid job at the end of the internship for some young people if they reach the required standard, but this does not always happen. However, the experience gained in the workplace is always very valuable.
Alan Seeley shares his experience of his internship and the positive progression he took to secure paid employment:
Colleges currently offering supported internships:
- Chichester College, including Brinsbury and Crawley campuses; Brighton Metropolitan College including Worthing Broadwater and Central Brighton campuses
- Surrounding area - Brighton Metropolitan College, Team Domenica in Brighton, Plumpton College.
This list changes from time to time and so it is best to contact the college or provider directly to ask if they are running supported internships in the year in question.
What training and support do you get from the college?
All interns will be allocated a job coach for the duration of the internship. The core role of the job coach is to provide tailored support to young people to enable them to gain, learn from, develop in and maintain their internship and to make a positive progression on to paid sustainable employment. They also work closely with the employer to provide support for both them and the intern. They will agree the required standards the intern must meet with the employer before the start of the internship.
There will also be one day a week in college when the young person will develop skills necessary for the workplace, such as literacy or maths related to the work they are doing. At some colleges this takes place with other supported interns and at other colleges it is on a more personal basis.
Information for Employers:
Employing Job Coaches: National Occupational Standards for Supported Employment (revised in 2017)
Further Reading:
The information in this material has been drawn from the Department for Educational document Supported Internships. Please use below link for the full document.
Related pages
- Moving to adult health care
- Further Education
- Pathways to work
- WorkAid - Supported Employment Scheme
- Independent Travel Training
- Apprenticeships
- Finding a Disability Confident Employer
- Adult Social Care
- Independent Living
- Inclusion within the community
- National Resources
- Get help at work if you’re disabled or have a health condition (Access to Work Fund)
- Positive and Possible - SEND Employment Support
- Staying Safe, Bullying and Child Sexual Exploitation
