College students to enter lifechanging employment programme

Hopwood Hall College and national charityDFN Project SEARCH have launched a new supported internship programme for young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum conditions, to help them to secure meaningful, paid employment.

DFN Project SEARCH is a national charity that run supported internship programmes that takes place entirely in the workplace and provides continuous support to young adults between 16 – 24 who have a learning disability and/or autism. Supported Internships are structured work-based study programmes for those aged 16 to 24 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) who have an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plan or equivalent.

Hopwood Hall College is a further education college offering skills-based training to students aged 16+. It offers a broad range of vocational courses, including its Skills for Life provision designed for learners aged 16-24 who have challenges or barriers to entering education, employment or training. As well as developing key employment skills at the college, students have the opportunity to complete a supported internship to develop their confidence in real-work settings.

Julia Heap, Principal and CEO of Hopwood Hall College, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with DFN Project SEARCH and are so excited for the opportunities this will present for our Skills for Life students. These learners have barriers to entering employment, so schemes like supported internships can be invaluable when it comes to developing both their skills and confidence in the workplace. It’s a fantastic way to help them realise their potential and enjoy all the opportunities available to them”

Kirsty Matthews, DFN Project SEARCH CEO, said: “We are very proud to be launching this programme with our amazing new partners. We are delighted that our first cohort of interns will begin soon, as they are at the very start of their DFN Project SEARCH journey to obtain valuable work experience that will help transform their lives.”

Operating in over 200 workplaces across the UK, DFN Project SEARCH works to build a more inclusive society by helping to create much-improved career opportunities for young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. The goal for each young adult is a transition to meaningful paid employment, for at least 16 hours per week, preferably full time.

To date, over 2,900 young people have graduated from DFN Project SEARCH programmes, with on average 63% of graduates going on to permanent, paid jobs. This is in stark contrast to the national average, with official figures showing less than 5% of young people with a learning disability who are known to their local authorities are in paid employment across England.      

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