Project SEARCH interns begin their new placement
Project SEARCH interns from Hackney Council and Homerton Hospital went above and beyond their day to day duties to raise money for charity, ahead of starting their new placements earlier this month.
The interns, along with staff from the council and hospital organised a festive event and celebrated the season with food, music, a raffle prize draw and even a sing-a-long.
The event, which was held at the Homerton Hospital Education Centre on 18 December 2019, raised money for Centrepoint, a charity which helps homeless young people.
Adam Hollingsworth, 20 from Victoria Park said: “I really enjoyed the event, it was a lot of fun to organise and it was great to be able to raise money for charity.”
Senior members of staff from the council and hospital were also in attendance to congratulate the interns on completing their first rotation before they start their second placement on 6 January 2020.
This event is a fantastic example of how the ProjectSearch scheme gives interns confidence and a range of skills. The interns planned and organised the event as part of the learning curriculum that they are undertaking, and it is incredibly satisfying to see how much their confidence has grown in just four months.
I am proud that through this scheme we are showing that disabilities should never be a barrier to employment and look forward to witnessing how the interns continue to grow as they start their new placements this month (January 2020).
Project SEARCH aims to help young people aged between 16 and 25 with learning difficulties and or physical impairments to gain on the job experience. The internship is part of the council’s wider commitment to ensure young people with SEND have access to opportunities to develop the skills required for paid employment.
The internship also links to the council’s Inclusive Economy Strategy which supports growth and development in the borough.