Flying high with your future - Supported internship

A supported Internship is a work-based study programme for 16 to 24 year olds with special educational needs and disabilities, who have an education, health and care plan.

Supported Internship is a work based study programme for 16 to 24 year olds with special education needs and disabilities, who have an education, health and care plan. The internships are unpaid and are a for 12 months. The young people are enrolled with a training provider but spend most of their time within a workplace.

The aim is to support young people with special education needs and disabilities to develop their work skills in order to gain paid employment. This is ideal for young people wanting to gain experience however there are no guarantees of gaining employment. For more information, please contact your special educational needs casework officer or contact us.

Watch a video about post 16 supported internships from the Harrogate Knaresborough and Ripon Locality Board. 

How to decide?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

  Supported Internship Apprenticeship Further Education Other options, such as personalised learning college
Advantages
  • real work experience
  • just for young people with an education, health and care plan so work place will be aware of inclusivity
  • minimum of 26 weeks on work placement
  • useful experience to add to CV
  • some professional qualifications gained sooner
  • free training and studies
  • paid National Minimum Wage whilst on apprenticeship
  • focus on training for a specific job
  • can gain degree through scheme
  • can study degree after scheme
  • some professions require A-levels or a degree
  • gives maximum career flexibility
  • can work part-time
  • emphasis is on education, learning and/or specific career
  • ability to network with peers
  • can gain work experience in longer holidays
  • specialist bespoke learning
Disadvantages
  • unpaid
  • 12 months commitment
  • no guarantee of a job
  • not available with all professions
  • limited networking opportunity
  • working while studying can be challenging
  • can limit career path
  • no job guarantee afterwards
  • may have to compete with graduates for jobs
  • requires certain level of GCSE qualification
  • qualifying for some professions takes a long time
  • student finances
  • no guarantee of a job afterwards
  • very specific criteria for gaining a place, this includes having an EHCP

Other things to consider

  • will you enjoy your course? Will it get you closer to where you want to be?
  • money - will you be able to afford this route? Are there any grants to help you? 
  • will you want or need an advocate for you at meetings? If so who?
  • moving on support - what sort of support will you get to help you move to your new education provider?
  • transport - how will you get to where you need to be and how long will it take? How much will it cost?
  • regular support - what extra support do you need and will you get it? If you have one, will your education, health and care plan continue?
Type of Provision Name of Provider Location Additional Info Contact details
Supported Internship Blueberry Academy York, Scarborough

Blueberry Academy supported internships page

Blueberry Academy YouTube page

Andy Bucklee

abucklee@blueberryacademy.co.uk

info@blueberryacademy.co.uk

01904 638885

Supported Internship Craven College Skipton Craven College website

Danny Hinchcliffe 

dhinchcliffe@craven-college.ac.uk

01756 791411

Supported Internship Disability Action Yorkshire (DAY) Harrogate Disability Action Yorkshire website

Denise Baynton

Denise.Baynton@da-y.org.uk

01423 855429

Supported Internship Groundwork Yorkshire Selby Selby Garden Enterprise - Groundwork

Amanda Scrimgeour

AmandaScrimgeour@groundwork.org.uk

01757 292124 / 07813364219

Supported Internship Harrogate College (Project Search) Harrogate Harrogate College website

John Paul Wadsworth

John-Paul.Wordsworth@harrogate.ac.uk

01423 878205

Supported Internship Harrogate Skills for Living (HS4L) Harrogate Harrogate skills 4 living website

Hadyn Moorby-Davies

hadyn@hs4lc.org.uk

01423 449314

Supported Internship Right 2 Work Skipton Supported Internships - Right2Work

Peter Bradbury

peter.bradbury@right2work.org.uk

01539 735025 / 07553358729

Supported Internship Supporting Choice Scarborough Supporting choice Facebook page

Richard Oldale

admin@supportingchoice.co.uk

01723 480032 / 07535909842

Out of county provider

Type of Provision Name of Provider Location Additional Info Contact details
Supported Internship Prior Pursglove College Guisborough Prior Pursglove college 16-24 learning guide

Paul Richter

P.Richter@pursglove.ac.uk

01287 280250

Supported Internship Middlesbrough College Middlesbrough Supported Internships at Middlesbrough College | School Leavers

Helen White

Hl.white@mbro.ac.uk

01642 333333

Supported Internship Choices College Darlington, York Project choice - supported internships NHS page

Dominic Watson (Darlington)

Dominic.Watson@hee.nhs.uk

07825456050

Melanie Slater (York)

Melanie.Slater@hee.nhs.uk

07766 257914

Supported Employment Service

The Supported Employment Service can help carers or people with disabilities to find employment which is matched to their interests and strengths. The team also work with employers, offering them information and support to make the right work-place adjustments.

Who is the service for?

The service works with people living in North Yorkshire who would like to find employment and have eligible care needs under the Care Act. You can find out more about a Care Act assessment on our adult eligibility for social care services page.

You may be eligible for support if you:

  • are a carer
  • have a learning disability
  • have a physical disability or sensory impairment
  • are on the autistic spectrum
  • have mental health support needs

About Supported Employment

Supported Employment is an evidence based and personalised approach that provides people with the extra help and support they need to find the right job for them. Finding employment is not just about earning an income, it also builds confidence, provides the opportunity to develop skills and meet new people.

What will the service help with?

The service will match you with a member of the team who will work with you on a one to one basis to learn more about your aspirations for work. They will get to know your strengths and skills and can also meet with other people who know you well to build a good picture of your interests and abilities. The team can meet you where you feel most comfortable, whether this is in your home, in the community or at one of our offices.

On the journey to gaining employment the team can:

  • work with you and others who know you to build up a picture of what you can do and what job you really want
  • find out about your skills and abilities and what jobs these are suited to
  • give you the chance to build skills and experience by trying different types of work so you have a better idea of what you would like to do
  • if needed, support you to access benefits advice relating to employment so that you know how getting a job will affect your benefits
  • help you to improve your confidence
  • help you with looking for a job
  • help with writing a CV and completing application forms
  • support with preparing for and attending interviews
  • support you and employers to find suitable recruitment methods
  • support with speaking to an employer about any health conditions or work-place adjustments
  • continue to support you when you get a job, this may include job coaching to help you learn new tasks or until you complete a training period

The team can also help people who are already employed but would like support to speak to their employer about work-place adjustments, including access to work applications.

Travel Information

For a supported internship, travel is slightly different to other provision as transport will come in two different forms. For the education day, you can apply to us for transport. You will need to apply for your transport every year after you are 16 years old. You can get more information and apply on our transport to sixth form or college page and you should apply as soon as you can after the 31 May for September start dates.

Post-16 travel assistance

Transport for the work placement element will be provided by the Access to Work scheme, from the Department for Work and Pensions. Your supported internship provider will make the claim for you and arrange the transport which is in the form of a taxi to and from your home to your work placement. This will be arranged if you live in a rural area and there is no available public transport to get you to and from your work placement or you are unable to travel on public transport. Speak to your training provider who will arrange this for you, they will ask you to supply three taxi quotes and they will then use the cheapest taxi company.