Supported internships

Supported internships are aimed at young people with a learning disability, aged 18 to 24

They support entry to employment

The internship is based mainly with an employer and usually lasts a year, the aim is that you will move into employment.

A supported internship is learning that is made up of an unpaid work placement of at least six months and study that, where possible, leads to a relevant qualification and includes the chance to improve your English and maths.

You must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for learning difficulties to start a supported internship

They are available in Calderdale and Kirklees

See more information below

Want to talk to someone?

Your C&K Careers careers adviser can help and advise you about Project Search supported internships and will support you to apply and while you are a student intern – get in touch with your careers adviser in school or college

Or:

Ring 01484 242000 and ask for your careers adviser by name if you know it or press '0' to speak to someone who can help

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Get in touch with your nearest centre:

Case study

Matty

Matty started a Project Search supported internship in September 2017 after finishing Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3 Employability and Lifeskills courses at college. He was offered a place on Project Search, but he was worried about starting it. His advice would be to ‘stick at it, you’ll be glad you have done it in the end’. Find out why Matty was glad ...

Read Matty's story (132kb PDF)

Kirklees College offers supported internships

Kirklees College runs supported internships, which include job coach support from Kirklees Council's REAL Employment. The internships are over three days, with learners spending one day in Kirklees College and two days on placement with an employer. During the first six weeks of the programme, students will be college-based doing a range of work-based activities, including developing work-related skills and possibly doing some volunteering in the community. Support will be based on individual need in college and/or at the work placement. The college work placement co-ordinator will find the placement, and work with employers to check the student's progress while on placement.

All learners will:

take part in a range of work preparation activities
work to improve English and maths and if appropriate take a formal qualification
have a weekly tutorial
be on an individual work placement for at least six months with an employer anywhere in Kirklees.

Project Search - supported internships

Project search is based at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax and Dewsbury Hospital in Kirklees

Project Search supported internships are run jointly with Calderdale College and with the local NHS Trust, with support from the Calderdale Local Authority. It lasts a year and learners are on placement for five days and spend an hour at the beginning and end of the day learning work related-skills in Calderdale Royal or Dewsbury Hospital. Project Search is for those who are looking to go into full-time, paid employment and want to learn the skills needed. Initially, learners will do the work and training in some of the hospitals' departments, where they will be supported by a job coach. They may then go on to a work placement with other local employers. There will be an introductory summer school before the course starts, delivered by staff from C&K Careers.

All learners will:

go on different ‘placements’ in different jobs within the local NHS. The local NHS trust will also work with other local businesses to provide opportunities
have regular support at the start of the day and a de-brief at the end of the day
take part in classroom-based learning to develop the skills needed to move straight into full-time employment at the end of the internship.

Video

Project Search

Check out the videos below. The first video is about the Project Search selection day in Kirklees. It shows students doing tasks, so they can see what they enjoy and this helps them find the right student internship for them. The second video shows students ready and working at their internship companies. The videos are subtitled.

Find out what these interns and their work colleagues think about internships:

Kyle, Sam and Fenton - interns at Ravenshall School, B&M Bargains and Unite Students Union
Jonathan - intern at the Coop
Marsha - intern at Huddersfield Leisure Centre

Videos

Six supported internships. Find out what the interns and their work colleagues think about internships

See Bradford Royal Infirmary domestic service intern’s experience or read it (99kb PDF).

See John Lewis sales and catering interns’ experience or read it (96kb PDF).

See Phoenix Radio intern’s experience or read it (95kb PDF).

See Ravenscliffe catering intern’s experience or read it (97kb PDF).

See Sainsbury's retail intern’s experience or read it (98kb PDF).

See Subway food preparation intern’s experience or read it (96kb PDF).

Check out our YouTube Channel for more videos

See the video about a similar Project Search programme in Bradford.

Page updated July/August 2019