New NHS Internship Programme to Help Young People with Additional Needs Into Work
By Education Correspondent
A new supported internship programme designed to help young people with additional learning needs move into employment will launch in North Wales this autumn.
The scheme is being introduced through a partnership between Coleg Cambria, DFN Project SEARCH and Ysbyty Wrexham Maelor.
Based at the hospital, the one-year programme will begin in September and aims to give students practical workplace experience within an NHS environment.
Initially, six places will be available for young people with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) or Individual Development Plan (IDP).
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Participants will rotate through different roles across the hospital while receiving support from employability mentors and job coaches to help build confidence, independence and workplace skills.
Jo Green, Curriculum Director for Independent Living Skills at Coleg Cambria Northop, said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our interns to gain real, hands-on experience working within a hospital environment.
“Through our supported internship programme, interns can build confidence, develop essential employability skills, and work towards greater independence.”
The programme builds on similar DFN Project SEARCH schemes already running across the UK, which aim to improve employment opportunities for young people with learning disabilities.
Tracey Amos, Operational Lead for Widening Access and Supported Internships at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said the partnership would bring “meaningful benefits for both interns and staff”.
Organisers hope the initiative will help create more inclusive routes into employment while also supporting local workforce needs across the region.
