This Thursday is National Supported Internship Day
Supported Internships (SIs) provide a route to employment for young people with SEND who want to move into paid work when it is time for them to leave education. SIs involve a partnership between an employer and a learning provider, they are available to students aged 16-24 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Providers of supported internships
In Stoke-on-Trent, many colleges and employers offer supported internships. This academic year, we have 42 students taking part in SI programmes, with employers including University Hospital North Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Tesco and Asda. Colleges that offer SIs include:
- Abbey Hill College
- Mencap
- Newcastle College
- Newfriars College
- Pinc College
- Reaseheath College
- Stoke-on-Trent College
- Strathmore College
How do they run?
All SIs last between 6 months and a year, but interns only work in term time and will still have school holidays. Interns spend most of their time working at a job, they get help from a job coach who helps them learn new skills and feel confident. As well as working, the interns will spend some of their time studying English and Maths and working towards any qualifications that would be suitable for them.
SIs are not paid placements but the goal is for the interns to get a paid job when they finish.
What happens at the end of a supported internship?
In the school year 2023-24, 30 Stoke-on-Trent students completed SIs. At the end of their supported internship:
13 (43%) went onto paid employment
4 (13%) went onto education courses
1 (3%) went onto an apprenticeship
2 (7%) went onto volunteering roles
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