Supported internships
A supported internship is an educational programme for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) that mostly takes places in the workplace. It must include at least 600 hours training, the same as between 6 months to a year of on-the-job training.
The main aim of a supported internship (SI) is to give young people aged 16 to 24 skills to help them get a job.
Young people get help to find a Supported Internship employer and are matched to a job that suits them. The internship is unpaid but can lead to employment.
Who is a supported internship for?
You can apply for a Support Internship if:
- you really want a job;
- you are aged between 16 and 24; and
- you have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
What support will I get?
If you are accepted onto the supported internship programme, you will be given a job coach. Their role is to help you make the transition into the workplace. Your job coach will teach you all the skills you need for the work environment.
What will I achieve by going on a supported internship?
All young people that complete a supported internship will know how to apply for a job, and will know what is expected of them in the workplace.
You will gain confidence, improve your self-esteem and feel you have made a big step on your path to independence.
Perhaps best of all, when you succeed in the workplace you'll become a trailblazer showing other young people and employers that disability is not an obstacle and is often an advantage in the workplace.
Can I apply to go on a supported internship?
To be accepted for an interview, you must:
- have an EHC plan; and
- be aged between 16 and 24.
If you answered yes to these two questions, you can apply for a Supported Internship!
How do I apply for a place on a supported internship?
To apply, email employability@surreychoices.com for an application form. Put SI Application Request in the subject header.
Surrey Choices will contact you once you have returned your completed application to them.
You can also email employability@surreychoices.com with any questions you would like to ask regarding supported internships.
Further Questions
If you have a question you would like to ask regarding supported internships, email employability@surreychoices.com