For many young people with additional needs, the step from education into employment can feel like a leap into the unknown. That’s where DurhamEnable’s Supported Internship programme makes all the difference.
Supported Internships: Helping Young People Move Confidently into Employment Transcript.pdf
James Merrington, In-Work Support and Training Officer, has seen first-hand how the programme transforms confidence and opportunity.
“it’s not work experience, it’s a pathway into employment,” says James. “A lot of people we support in the supported internship, they’re coming from sort of SEND provisions, so they’ve very supportive environments and then they come to the end of that education and they’re expected to just go out and find it on their own, by themselves.” DurhamEnable’s Supported Internship programme aims to bridge that gap.
One young person who found success through the programme is Kayleigh Askew, now thriving as a Learning and Development Practitioner at Durham County Council.
“I was encouraged to look for job opportunities whenever possible,” Kayleigh explains. “I applied for four different apprenticeships and got interviews for all of them.”
With DurhamEnable’s guidance, Kayleigh was able to identify reasonable adjustments that help help her perform at her best and communicate them confidently to interviewers. James adds:
“The supported internship is fantastic for someone like Kayleigh or someone who’s neurodiverse or just needs that little helping hand moving into paid employment. Ultimately though, it’s down to the individual as well, you know, Kayleigh from the very start was proactive, she showed great initiative, she really wanted to engage in the programme”
Kayleigh’s advice for others who are in a similar situation to she was is simple:
“I would recommend DurhamEnable to other people because, whatever your disabilities are, if you want a job then they’ll help you like achieve that.”
To learn more about Supported Internships, visit Durham County Council: supported employment for young people.
For inclusive employment support, visit our Get in Touch page.
