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.

How to decide?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

 

Supported Internship

Apprenticeship

Further Education

Traineeship

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 (NMW) 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
  • real work experience
  • opportunity to gain invaluable work experience
  • traineeship can be from 6 weeks to a year (though most last for less than 6 months)
  • training is also provided
  • can lead to apprenticeship or employment
  • 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
  • unpaid
  • must be unemployed and 16 to 24 years old
  • no guarantee of a job
  • 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

Selby, 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

Richard Newall

rnewall@craven-college.ac.uk

01756 243 503

Supported Internship

Disability Action Yorkshire (DAY)

Harrogate

Disability Action Yorkshire website

Denise Baynton

Denise.Baynton@da-y.org.uk

01423 85541

Supported Internship

Groundwork

Selby

Selby Garden Enterprise - Groundwork

Amanada Scringeour

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

Henshaws

Harrogate

Henshaws College website

Anne Larkman

Anne.Larkman@henshaws.org.uk

01423 886451

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 / 0773358729

Supported Internship

Supporting Choice

Scarborough

Supporting choice Facebook page

YUMPU Supporting Choice - Employability Pathways for young adults ePaper

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 Health Education England (HEE) 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

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.