Do you live in Hackney and have a disability and or a health condition?

Hackney Council’s Supported Employment Service can help you find work matched to your individual needs and interests. One of the ways we offer this is through a Supported Internship programme. Our partners for Supported Internships are DFN Project SEARCH, Hackney Education and BSiX 6th Form College.

What is Hackney's Project Search Supported Internship programme? 

Hackney's Project Search Internship Programme helps young people with SEND (special educational needs and disability) develop real work skills, in a real work environment. These Supported Internships are for young people who are autistic or who have learning disabilities and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Partners working on this Supported Internship programme are Hackney Council's Supported Employment Service, Hackney Education's SEND service and DFN Project SEARCH.

When the programme finishes, each intern will work with a Supported Employment Advisor who will provide further support to make sure they find paid work.

For further information find Hackney's Supported Internship Programme Prospectus here. 

Watch this short film of a virtual tour of both venues where the internships take place.

Project Search Homerton Hospital Supported Internship video. 

How long is the programme?

This Project Search Homerton Hospital Supported Internship lasts 10 months September through to July with breaks for half-term.

It runs from 9am to 3:30pm daily.

Interns complete a bespoke induction at Homerton Hospital for the first 2 weeks of the programme. Then each intern will take part in 3 different placements.

Interns complete an employability skills training session for 1 hour in the morning (9am-10am) before going to their work placements.

Each young person accepted onto the programme will have a suitable placement arranged for them each term.

What work activities will the interns take part in?

Young people on the programme will be supported to take part in 3 work placements in different departments at Homerton Hospital during the academic year September to July.

The purpose of these is to build the necessary skills to be able to get a job they want by the end of the programme.

During the placements they will gain workplace skills as well as a qualification (Work Skills Entry Level 3)

Young people will take part in a variety of activities for example retail, catering, cleaning, patient care and admin. They might make phone calls, complete filing tasks, clean tables, serve food, assist patients, deliver parcels.

What will interns be doing during a typical day?

Interns will complete an hour long employability skills training session in the morning (9am-10am).

Then they go to their work placements from 10am until 3 pm. Different work placement options may include:

• Admin
• Post room
• Warehouse
• Hospitality
• Reception
• Patient ward placements
• Hospital IT systems
• Catering or facilities
• Retail placement for example WH Smiths
• Whatever the placement is job coaches will provide support.

After the daily work placement a half-hour session from 3pm to 3:30pm provides an opportunity for interns to:

• feedback on their day
• talk through how they feel
• raise any concerns related to the activities completed that day

This means that any issues the interns have can be identified and dealt with quickly.

Do you provide job coaches?

Yes. Job Coaches for this programme are based on site and provide individualised support to the interns. The Job Coaches will also support interns learning on placements and within Homerton Hospital's on site training room.

Is travel training included as part of the course?

Travel training is not offered as part of the course. Job Coaches will work with parents and carers to ensure that a plan is in place to support the young person to travel to and from the programme. 

If eligible this may be support with applications for a Freedom Pass.

How are staff trained to provide support to young people with SEND?

Project SEARCH delivers training in teaching and job coaching skills to staff on the programme. Project SEARCH is a model used across the world. Job Coaches are trained to help them develop skills to:

• deliver coaching
• develop placements
• work effectively with department managers
• work effectively with the interns.

There are two different kinds of training:

• Basic (coaches complete this before they start on the programme)
• Advanced (coaches complete this after having experience of working with Project SEARCH interns)

What skills will young people develop on the programme?

Project SEARCH interns are not volunteers and complete meaningful work in integrated work settings.

Young people on the programme will be developing skills necessary to get the job they want. This includes development of soft skills such as communication and confidence alongside specific skills related to a particular role such as data entry.

The aim of Supported Internships is paid work after the programme. Find out more from the Interns themselves and how previous Hackney Interns from Homerton Hospital have done here. 

Is there support for the young people to find work at the end of the programme?

Yes. Each young person is supported throughout the programme to explore work opportunities.

When the programme ends a Supported Employment Advisor will work with local employers to find the most suitable job for the young person. If the young person doesn’t secure a job at the end of the course the Supported Employment Service will help them to identify and apply for other suitable opportunities.

Progression options after the training are paid employment or an apprenticeship.