Supported Internships - Lessons from the pilot at QAC

Nicky Wojciechowski

Supported Internships - Lessons from the pilot at QAC

• The college perspective

• The learner perspective

• The employer perspective

• Moving forward under the new funding arrangements

What is an Internship?

• A programme of study based primarily with an employer

• A brokered role but based on a real business need

The College PerspectiveKey Challenges 1Staff recruitment- the job coach role

What skills do the job coaches need?

The College Perspective

Key Challenges 1Staff recruitment- the job coach role

The ideal job coach!• Experience supporting people

with a range of disabilities • Zero rejection• Salesperson• Training in systematic instruction• Excellent organisational skills• Experience of assessing and

recording progress

National Occupational Standards available fromhttp://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/resources/wider-resources/supported-employment-national-occupational-standards

The College PerspectiveKey Challenges 2Employer Engagement

What challenges are there in engaging employers?How might these be overcome?

The College Perspective

Key Challenges 2• Employer

Engagement

• An employer to match the intern’s career aims

• The right person to speak to at the company

• Selling the benefits to the employer

QAC Solution- An External Consultant – Life Beyond School

The College PerspectiveKey Challenges 3Intern recruitment

What challenges are there in recruiting interns?How might these be overcome?

The College Perspective

Key Challenges 3

• Intern recruitmentMotivation is key

(intern and parents/carers!)

Making the process as real as possible - attending interviews

The Learner Perspective

The Employer Perspective“The Belfry and I are delighted to be able to offer an internship The initial pre-meetings with Jem and Nicky were informative and honest. I was able to meet D and interview him with Nicky present and was able to judge for myself whether it would be feasible to commit to an internship.

D's induction went well and he was delighted to hit balls on the range and hit it better than his mentor!! There will be opportunities for D to play some golf too on the famous Brabazon course. Its reassuring his mentors, Jodie and Katie are on site and are available to cater for D’s needs if required. They do keep a low profile and are very professional at all times.

I believe D is enjoying his work, not quite sure whether the mentors are enjoying such early starts!!!!”

The Employer PerspectiveIt is an opportunity for the young people to be given a chance.

With support, we are able to give people an opportunity to gain eventual employment who otherwise wouldn’t. For example we have previously had a young man on a placement who is not able to talk to others and couldn’t say much in an interview so would be unlikely to succeed in standard recruitment methods. He is able to do the job and we have recently taken him on as permanent member of staff.

The Employer Perspective“staff have commented on how pleasant and enthusiastic he is and I have observed that he interacts well”

“we are so impressed by the intern!”

Moving Forward

Internships can be a Study Programme if supported by a qualification ( e.g. employability)

Internships could also be a Study Programme without the major qualification (Traineeships)

Programme Cost

Weighting

Disadvantage Funding

Area Cost

Allowance

Student Numbers

National Funding Rate per student

Retention Factor( )

Element 1: Core

education funding

Total Programme

Funding

Moving Forward

Element 2: Additional

support funding

Element 3: Top-up funding

“Top-up” funding from the commissioner to

meet the needs of each pupil or student placed

in the institution

Contribution of £6,000 to additional support required by a pupil or

student with high needs

Job coach support

16-19 Study programmes – Government response to consultation and plans for implementation

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/Post16Learning/Page1/DFE-10037-2011

16-19 Study Programmes Equality Impact Assessment

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/study%20programme%20for%2016-%20to%2019-year-olds%20-%20equality%20impact%20assessment.pdf

Updated funding guidance

http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/executiveagencies/efa/funding/fundings/a00210682/funding-formula-review

Information on Traineeships proposals

http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/qandlearning/traineeships