DFN Project SEARCH interns visit Parliament to mark National Supported Internship Day
Today, Wednesday 27 March, is National Supported Internship Day, celebrating organisations that champion and support internships for young people.
At University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, we work in collaboration with St Martins School and Direct Education Business Partnership to host DFN Project SEARCH, a supported internship programme for young people with learning disabilities or Autism to get real-life experience and develop employability skills in a paid role at the Trust.
To celebrate and recognise the programme at UHDB, two DFN Project SEARCH interns were delighted to be selected to visit the Houses of Parliament and meet with Members of Parliament (MPs) on Monday 25 March as part of their additional roles in a Youth Advisory Group.
Joshua Phillips, one of the interns selected to go to the Houses of Parliament, said it was a great opportunity and he was able to speak to MPs about the importance of supported internships.
He said: "I am hopeful that the MPs saw our point of view about why supported internships are so important, not only for getting into work but because they offer a holistic approach to work.
"Before I was an intern, I didn't really have a planned direction, so it is important to me to raise awareness around supported internships so other people don't feel that way.
"I would like to see more supported internships being offered to young people with autism and more programmes on offer to help young people get better access to work. In turn, this will create a more inclusive and diverse workforce and increase personal wellbeing by boosting self-esteem while contributing to society."
Ryan Owen will be joining Joshua on the trip. He said the duo attended a workshop on the day to write letters to local MPs about how supported internships could be improved and share ideas on how more supported internships could be put in place across the country.
Ryan added: "It felt good to be able to talk about how amazing the internship has been for me and to get my voice heard on how they benefit people with disabilities to get into work. I think they understood how vital they are for people with additional needs who want to work."
As part of the programme, the interns embark on a one-year course at Royal Derby Hospital and rotate through areas including catering, portering and administration, where they participate in placements alongside employability skills training. The interns are assigned a mentor for each placement and are supported by a team of tutors who are based on site.
Anna Drake, Personal Tutor for the DFN Project SEARCH supported internship, said it is important to shine a light on these schemes and the difference they can make to young people taking part in the programme. Anna said: "The aim of DFN Project SEARCH is to give young people with learning disabilities the opportunity to gain transferrable skills and experience and so it is great to see Ryan and Josh taking advantage and lending their voices to schemes like the Youth Advisory Group.
"It is a joy to watch them grow and develop and be given wonderful opportunities like this visit."
Disabled adults are underrepresented in the workforce nationally, and only 6% are in paid roles. We recognise that with the right training and support, young people with disabilities can develop the employability skills to be part of the workforce, secure paid employment, and learn to be independent. Our partnership with DFN Project Search gives talented young people in our community the chance to get practical experience in a supported environment, improving their access to new opportunities after the internship ends.
If you are 18-19 years old, want to learn transferable skills and feel ready to transition into work you can find out more about DFN Project SEARCH and supported internship programmes by emailing anna.drake@nhs.net