Shropshire’s first cohort of Supported Internships at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital celebrate Graduation
A successful collaboration between Shropshire Council, DFN Project Search, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), Shrewsbury Colleges Group and Enable Supported Employment Service.
Shropshire’s first Cohort of DFN Project Search Graduates who undertook their training at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
The first cohort of DFN Project Search Supported Internships based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital celebrated their graduation at a special event on Tuesday 9 July at the Shropshire Education & Conference Centre (SECC).
The one year supported internship programme, supports young people with an Education, Health and Care plan gain valuable work experience on a rotational scheme in different departments around the hospital.
Intern with their family celebrating their graduation
The interns have completed three rotations of 10 weeks each, learning new skills and trying out careers in areas such as administration, catering, portering, housekeeping, pathology, radiology and more.
Each intern was supported by a tutor from Shrewsbury Colleges Group and an employment officer from Enable, who helped them to develop their employability skills and confidence. The programme also involved regular feedback sessions with the hospital staff, who embraced the chance to work with the interns and mentor them.
Intern celebrating their graduation with their family
The results of the programme have been impressive, with 100% of the interns graduating as employment ready with a number of interns securing paid employment at the hospital. The programme has also raised awareness and understanding of the talent potential of people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities within the workplace.
Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Cabinet Member for children and education said:
“The internship programme has been a fantastic opportunity for the interns to gain real work experience and learn from the professionals. They have also developed their independence, communication and social skills, which will help them in their future careers. I would like to thank the hospital staff for their support and guidance, and congratulate the interns on their graduation.”
Kelly Garber, tutor from Shrewsbury Colleges Group, added:
“It has been such an privilege working with this group of interns. Proud is an understatement. They have been nothing short of incredible since walking into the Hospital back in September 2023.
“They came in nervous, but they put themselves out there, overcame challenges and it was a joy watching their confidence grow each day. They have made a such a positive impact on the NHS, and I am so excited to see where their journey takes them.”
Tom George, STW ICS Education & Learning Lead said:
“Our celebration event was an acknowledgment of the remarkable journey each one of our interns has undertaken. I have been really excited to attend the event, not only because of the achievements we were here to honour but also because of the joy our interns have brought into our hospital and the future of healthcare.
“These young people are not just stepping into the next phase of their careers; they are stepping into roles as ambassadors of change, advocates for inclusion, and trailblazers for future generations.
“They have proven their resilience, adaptability, and creativity in the face of unprecedented challenges and have shown commitment, passion, and excellence in delivering high-quality solutions for our patients and colleagues.”
For information on the DFN Project Search programme visit: Home – DFN Project Search
For more information about supported internships visit Supported Internships – Enable. Supported Employment Services (enableservices.co.uk)
Further information
The DFN Project Search programme is a national and international initiative that aims to help young people with learning disabilities and autism to transition from education to employment. The programme has been running in the UK since 2013 and has achieved an average employment rate of 60%, compared to the national average of 6% for people with learning disabilities and autism.
