Supported Internships transform the lives of young learners

Warwickshire South

College (NWSLC) is transforming the lives of young people with learning disabilities or autism spectrum diagnosis by helping them gain full-time paid employment.

Through a partnership with national charity DFN Project SEARCH, and employers such as the NHS and ASDA, the college delivers Supported Internships – a programme designed to smooth the transition from education to the workforce for young people aged 16-24.

Currently, only 4.8 per cent of people with learning disabilities are in employment in England and Wales. The NWSLC programme offers an invaluable opportunity to improve the odds for young individuals with SEND to develop transferable job skills, increase their independence, boost their self-esteem and build their future career.

Paula Jeffries, Team Leader of Supported Internships at NWSLC said: “These partnerships not only provide meaningful work experiences but also help create inclusive workplace environments. Interns work towards real job descriptions. NWSLC provides two professional job coaches based on site with the interns, who help colleagues to teach new tasks to interns in a way that suits their learning style.

“The success of the programme is reflected in the growing number of placements and opportunities available. For instance, the NHS George Eliot Hospital (GEH) has increased the number of intern placements and is creating new roles specifically for programme graduates.”

Supported Internships are tailored specifically to meet the needs of each intern and have recently gained significant recognition, with NWSLC’s Supported

Internship Programme recently winning the Pearson National Teaching Award for FE Team of the Year.

Additionally, the construction giant HS2 Balfour Beatty and Vinci has committed to offering two paid roles to interns each year. Consisting of three 10-week rotations within a host business, interns gain diverse work experiences while receiving 800 hours of structured support from job coaches and business mentors.

NWSLC, in collaboration with DFN Project SEARCH, continues to make a profound impact, empowering young adults to achieve independence, confidence, and real employment opportunities as they transition into adulthood.

Businesses looking to find out more about supporting the programme can contact Paula Jeffries, Team Leader Supported Internships at NWSLC: paula.jeffries@nwslc.ac.uk or Molly Williams-Leer, Programme Specialist at DFN Project SEARCH: Molly.Williams-Leer@dfnprojectsearch.org.