Who we are…

CareTrade is an award winning charity providing innovative opportunities to enable young autistic adults to successfully  make the transition from education to employment with confidence and independence.

The Autism Project (TAP) supported internship is managed by Care Trade in partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital and Whittington Health. TAP supported internship is a full time active learning employment programme for young people on the autistic spectrum who would like to be employed but need more confidence, support, experience and skills to help them become work ready.

What we do…

The Autism Project offers students a unique approach to employability study. The first year of our supported internship consists of 75% of learning in real work settings within Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals.

It is a full time 36 week active learning employment programme for young people on the autistic spectrum who would like to be employed but need more confidence, support, experience and skills to become work ready. Students also study for a City & Guilds Employability skills and Healthy Living qualifications.

The second year focuses on greater independence and confidence in the workplace and supports students to actively seek and apply for employment, further training or apprenticeships. Work experience placements are also available to students wishing to experience environments away from the hospital.

How long is the course?

The Autism Project (TAP) is a full-time, two-year, employability programme for young people on the autistic spectrum, aged 18-25.

Our aim is to make the journey towards and into employment more seamless and flexible in order to better meet the individual needs of students.

Year One curriculum and placements

All students will follow our supported internship curriculum for their first term and typically students will spend 3 terms (their first year) following this.

They learn within real work experience placements with either Guy’s or St. Thomas’ hospitals four days a week, supported by work-place mentors and specialist job coaches and spend one day a week in class where they learn valuable employability and independent living skills.

Year Two curriculum and placements

Students’ progress to the Year Two curriculum once ‘work-ready’, typically in term 4. Here the focus is on greater independence in the workplace and to support students to develop skills and confidence needed to actively and successfully seek paid employment, an apprenticeship or further training of choice as progression from the internship.

Person centred planning

TAP staff use person centred planning and the interns timetables are individually planned with their Education, Health and Care Plan outcomes in mind.

Class based learning is developed in termly modules so that students can move through the curriculum at their own speed. This also means we will be able to accept students at the beginning of any term.

Whilst employment is our main focus our curriculum also focuses on all four Preparing for Adulthood Pathways:

• Independence - Travel training, Confidence building, Transferrable skills
• Employment – Placements, Job Club, Careers advice and personal guidance, Work skills
• Better Health and Wellbeing - 1:1 sessions, Wellbeing advice, Healthy living
• Community Inclusion - Staying Safe, Effective Communication, Social enrichment

All students have the opportunity to meet with TAP staff prior to starting the programme and will have an induction suited to their individual needs.