Supported Internship Pilot for children and young people aged 16-24 without an EHCP

Surrey County Council have been successful in obtaining funding for a pilot project to offer Supported Internships for young people aged 16 to 24 with Additional Needs and Disabilities who do NOT hold an EHCP.

Supported Internships are a successful model for supporting young people into work, but to date have only been open to those who hold an EHCP. They are a study programme with the majority of the time spent in a work placement, learning on the job with the support of an employment support specialist (job coach). To help them identify future career choices, most interns will have the opportunity to try up to three different work placements.

This programme has a rolling entry from February 2024 and may suit young people in Surrey who are not achieving in their current education placement but who have a long-term ambition to achieve paid work.

This one-year project will be delivered in conjunction with Surrey Choices and East Surrey College and is funded by the Department for Education. Surrey Choices are an award-winning supported employment service recognised by the British Association of Supported Employment and will be providing the work placements and in work support. East Surrey College will be registering the students and will provide any education elements required such as English and Maths (this will be at a location to suit the students where possible).

To be eligible for this programme you must:

• Live in Surrey
• Be between 16 to 24-years-old
• Want to find paid work for 16 hours a week or more
• Have a support need
• Not be in work or full-time education
• Not have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan

Interested?

If you think you or your child would benefit from the Supported Internship programme, then you can find out more by visiting the Surrey Choices website. You can also contact them by emailing info@surreychoices.com or calling 01483 806806.