Supported internships

Supported internships are a type of supported training programme specifically aimed at young people aged 16 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and who want to move into employment but need extra support to do so.

Supported Internships are set up to help young people with SEND to develop the skills and attitudes needed for the workplace. They are suitable for young people who learn best by doing and who want to move into employment and need extra support to do so.

Where do supported internships take place?

Most supported internships take place at work, with the employer. A small part of the programme takes place in a classroom, this is generally at the employers premises.

Supported interns are enrolled and supported by an education provider, for example, a college, but spend most of their learning time - typically around 70 percent - in a workplace.

How long does a supported internship last?

Timescales can vary. Internships normally last for around a year and include unpaid work placements of at least six months. 

Who provides help during the supported internship?

A specialist job coach is a professional who helps the intern to prepare for employment. Job coaches offer personalised support to an intern while they are in the workplace, helping them master their job role and gradually develop their confidence to work unsupported, as far as possible. 

A job coach provides customized and flexible support to the intern in:

• Learning the tasks and responsibilities of the job.
• Learning the social, cultural, and behavioural aspects of the workplace.

What can I gain from a supported internship?

The supported internship programme provides the intern with the chance to develop their work skills and professional identity within a field of work in which they are interested in.

It also:

• Provides valuable work experience
• Helps interns to develop their understanding of work and employment
• Assists interns in developing their CV
• Enables the intern to develop their skills, capabilities and confidence
• Assists the intern to progress towards paid employment
• Enables the intern to explore whether a particular field of work is right for them.
• Includes the 1:1 support of a job coach to assist the intern in the workplace where needed, and to assist in the smooth transition between education and work, and independence in the workplace

Will I be paid as an intern?

Work placements for supported internships are unpaid, because participating in an extended work placement is part of the interns programme of study at college or education provider. The primary goal of an intern placement is to help a young person with learning difficulties to develop the skills they need for paid employment.

Who can apply for a supported internship?

Young people aged 16 to 24 who have an EHC Plan and who are interested in completing a supported internship as a route to finding paid work.   This also includes students who have a high level of need.

Depending on which of our supported internships you go on, there are different criteria, but in general, you must be 16-24, have an additional need, and want to be in sustained employment. Everything else can be discussed during an interview before to joining the course.

What supported internships are available in Bromley?

There are several organisations offering supported internships in Bromley.

Young people with SEND are often enrolled at a college before doing a Supported Internship but there are other local education providers who also offer them.

Both colleges and education providers may offer taster sessions or shorter projects that prepare young people for taking part in a full supported internship.

London South East Colleges Bromley offer a range of supported internships

Bromley Mencap offer supported internships for young people with a high level of need across a range of local businesses.

What is Access to Work funding?

Access to Work is a grant from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) which helps pay for practical support so that disabled people can do their jobs.

The Access to Work grant can help to pay for:

• Specialist equipment. 
• Adaptations to equipment
• A support worker or job coach 
• Communication support 
• Excess costs of getting to work if someone is unable to use public transport or drive themselves
• Disability awareness training for employers about the employee’s specific condition

Young people can apply online at https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply 

Who pays for the supported internship programme?

Programmes are funded by the Education & Skills Funding Agency and the Department for Education. 

If a young person is interested, the chosen supported internship is suitable, and the application is successful it will be named in their EHC Plan.