Supported Internship Celebration Event

Shropshire Council SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Team and Enable are holding a Celebration Event at Shrewsbury Town Football Club on March 20th to mark the end of an 18-month Employment Project they have been working on to increase employment opportunities for young people with disabilities.  Enable were commissioned by the SEND team to raise awareness of supported internships and to increase the number of employers involved in the programme. Supported internships are a structured study programme based primarily with an employer with the aim of getting a paid job. They enable young people aged 16-24 with a disability who have an Education, Health and Care Plan to achieve sustainable paid employment by equipping them with the skills they need for work, through learning in the workplace. Alongside their time with the employer, young people complete a personalised study programme which includes the chance to study for relevant qualifications required by the employer, which includes English and Maths.

The Celebration Event will mark the achievement of all the young people who have completed or are currently on a supported internship and recognise the contribution of all of the Shropshire employers who have offered placements and employment to the young people.  Some of the employers and interns will be describing their experiences of participating in the programme, sharing good practice of how to achieve an inclusive workforce and highlighting the benefits of employing a young person with a disability.

Enable established a focus group made up of young people with disabilities who have met regularly over the last 18 months and contributed substantially to the success of the project.  This group have delivered presentations to senior managers at Shropshire Council and have been instrumental in helping the council provide inclusive apprenticeship opportunities as a progression route after a supported internship.

The focus group have been involved in preparing for the Celebration Event and all of them are goinh to be involved on the day.  Pictured here are (insert names) preparing the event opening speech along with Cllr Lee Chapman

For further information about Supported Internships and Inclusive Apprenticeships please contact Tracey Newell at Enable Tracey.newell@shropshire.gov.uk 01743 276 900