… Changing Lives through Employment …
The Buckinghamshire Supported Internship is a collaboration between Stony Dean School and Buckinghamshire Adult Learning supporting young adults in Buckinghamshire aged 18-24 with a learning difficulty into paid employment
We believe all young people should be given the opportunity to work, to feel valued and have a place in society
Our MISSION is to make employment a reality to young adults with a learning disability in Buckinghamshire
On Average, 64% of our interns have achieved paid employment on completion of the Supported Internship Program
Christie Lavery
Supported Internship Lead
Welcome
On behalf of the team, welcome to the Buckinghamshire Supported Internship, we are extremely proud of our full-time education provision that supports young adults with a learning disability achieve paid employment. The partnership is a collaboration between Stony Dean School and Buckinghamshire Adult Education and is a highly regarded flagship programme across the county amongst professionals, employers and families.
Our exceptional team of professionals have a wealth of knowledge and experience in both SEN education and business and are dedicated to championing young people achieve their potential both in the classroom and the workplace. Our learners follow a bespoke curriculum with maths, English, employability skills and bitesize training directly linked to their placement. We are fortunate to work in partnership with amazing employers who, with the support of our team of Job Coaches, enable our interns to experience a range of job roles in the public, private and voluntary sector whilst showcasing their talents.We strongly believe that achieving employment is a right not a privilege for young adults with a learning disability. We also believe that securing a work placement that matches the skills and aspirations of an intern is vital to their success and the reason why 64% of our learners to date have achieved paid employment each year. It is wonderful to be part of an education programme that truly changes lives and we hope to inspire many more young people and provide them with their golden ticket on their journey to paid employment.
Our Valued Team
At Buckinghamshire Supported Internship, our dedicated Staff Team of Job Coaches,
Tutors, LSA’s and administrators are passionate about supporting
young adults in Buckinghamshire with SEND into paid employment.
Information for Interns
Are you aged 18– 24 years old?
Do you have a learning difficulty and/or disability?
Do you have an EHCP?
Do you want to achieve full-time employment ?
Would you like support and training to gain vital work skills and access real work?
Would you like to improve your Maths and English?
Would you like support from a specialist job coach?
If you answered yes to the above then the Supported Internship programme could be for you
We offer work placements in the following sectors
Retail
Hospitality
Administration
Catering
Data Entry
Horticulture
Medical Records
Classroom Assistant
Animal Welfare
Information for Employers
Employer Benefits
No additional Cost
Acts as an extended working Interview
Increases Productivity
Enhances Perspective
Gives back to the community
The SEN provision will provide the students to the business
The Business provides work placements for the students in its premises
Interns are supported by job coaches who are funded by the government through access to work
Results in confident employment ready recruits at the end of the Supported Internship
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SUPPORTED INTERNSHIP
Working together with our valued employers past and present
What our employers say…
FAQs
Interns FAQs
Where is the program based?
The programme is based at Buckinghamshire New University in Aylesbury.
How Long is the supported Internship Programme?
The Programme follows the Academic calendar for one year, Running from September to June.
Do I have to pay for the programme?
No, the programme is classed as a full-time educational Programme.
Will my benefits change while I am on this programme?
No, any benefits you receive will not be affected during your time on the supported Internship.
Why Should I do the Internship?
The programme aims to help you become independent and work ready. You will be in your work placement for 2 days a week and in the learning Environment for 2 days where you can improve your English and Maths. You will also gain vital independence and employability skills.
What qualifications will I take?
We will personalise your programme of Study, depending on your previous achievements,to include functional skills in English and Maths and a Bitesize training programme in Employability Skills.
What type of Work placement will be available to me?
Interns will have the opportunity to work in different roles during the academic year. As much as possible we will work with your aspirations and ambitions in mind. Examples of job roles include: Office administration, IT, Portering, Catering, Education, Retail, Hospitality, Animal Care, Housekeeping.
Will I get paid whilst I am working?
No, the programme is classed as a full-time educational programme.
Will I have to work through the school Holidays?
The program is designed to follow the academic year however, depending on the work placement you may have to be flexible to the employer’s needs.
What Support is there for me to get to/from my placement?
Your job coach will support you to become an independent traveller through our travel training programme.
Will I get Support ay my work placement?
Yes, you will be assigned a Job Coach who will support you in the workplace. They will be by your side initially. This support is gradually reduced as you build confidence but at a rate you are comfortable with.
Employer FAQs
Is there a cost to offer a supported internship work placement?
There is no financial cost to an employer, the primary goal of a placement is to help a young person with learning difficulties to develop the skills they need for paid employment.
Will the young person fit in to my workplace?
The Job Coaches will work with you to ensure the best job match between the intern and you. We may also suggest ‘job carving’, which means working with you to tailor a role to best meet your business needs, whilst utilising the strengths and abilities of the young person.
What happens if things go wrong?
The Job Coach will make every effort to match you with the most suitable young person, Contact the job coach and explain your concerns, so that any issues can hopefully be resolved quickly.
What do I, as an employer need to do?
Employers need to commit to providing a high-quality work placement opportunity, providing effective line management and supervision of the intern as you would with other employees and allocate a buddy or mentor. Strong support will be provided by the job coach throughout the placement
What support will I receive during the internship?
The job coach will work with you to arrange the induction and provide as much support as is needed throughout this time. As the young person becomes more confident and able, the job coach will gradually withdraw their support, you will still be able to contact them at any time if any issues arise.
Will a job coach just get in the way and be an extra burden?
Job coaches are skilled in making their presence as unobtrusive as possible. They are likely to be around quite a lot to start with but this is helpful to the employer in getting the intern trained up to do the job and smoothing out any issues.
Will it affect productivity?
Employers who have previously offered placements have not found this to be the case. The job coach will work with the young person to ensure they pick up the tasks required, there is the added benefit of reduced workloads for the team.
Will it take up a lot of time for me and my staff?
You will be required to have some input, but that will be made clear from the start and will be reviewed regularly. The job coach will provide support to ensure it doesn’t take up too much time.
Are there Health and Safety issues?
Interns are covered by the employer’s insurance as if they were an employee. The job coach will do an initial assessment at the job matching stage.
Will I face some kind of equality/discrimination challenge if I don’t recruit the intern at the end?
Employers are not obliged to recruit the intern at the end of the internship,although this is the ideal outcome it is not always possible. Employers are only expected to recruit the intern if there is a vacancy and the intern is the best candidate for the job.
What happens at the end of the internship?
Employer’s will consider whether they are able to offer paid employment at the end of the internship. All employer’s are expected to provide a reference
News & Events
We recently celebrated National Supported Internship Day by releasing our first ever Podcast
BSI Bites
Listen to our podcast here
Address & Location
Buckinghamshire New University
59 Walton Street, Aylesbury,
Buckinghamshire, HP21 7QG
01494 762538 or 07814 305444
Supportedinternship@stonydean.bucks.sch.uk
