A supported internship programme for young people with a disability has welcomed 21 recruits.
Each young person will spend the next nine months gaining work experience within the council or with one of the city’s Project SEARCH partners, which includes NHS Lothian and Virgin Hotels.
Edinburgh Project SEARCH is a programme where young people with a disability, aged between 16 to 29 years, are given the opportunity to complete three 10-week work experience placements across the academic year while also studying for a qualification with Edinburgh College. The programme, which is now in its ninth year, aims to prepare young people to move into mainstream employment upon completion.
Tom Randall joined the council as part of Project SEARCH and has recently gone on to secure a position within the council’s facilities management team. He said: “I have come; I really feel I can do the job for the Facilities Management team now and Edinburgh Project SEARCH has helped me to do this.
“Now that I have this job I am really looking forward to feeling like I am a real part of the team and doing a good job with all the tasks. With my first wages I am planning to get a big takeaway!”
Most recent figures show that just 4.1% of young adults with a learning disability and/or autism in Scotland enter secure paid employment following education, compared to 80% of their peers.
Supported internships – work-based study programmes for 16 to 29-year-olds with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) – dramatically change the employment outcomes for those who take part.
DFN Project SEARCH figures show that 70% of people who complete their supported internships achieve this and successfully remain in employment.*
Hannah Goodall participated in Project SEARCH and now has a job in the City Chambers. She said: “I was an Edinburgh Project SEARCH intern on the 2022/23 programme. Project SEARCH helped me with my confidence and helped me to prepare and successfully apply for a job with the City of Edinburgh Council.
“I work at the City Chambers in the licencing department. My job title is licensing support assistant. All my colleagues are friendly and supporting. I like knowing that every month money is coming into my account, and I can choose when to take my holidays. I like being independent when I go out to work every day and maybe one day I’ll be able to move out and live independently.
Connor McDermid, another Project SEARCH alumni who enjoyed a placement with Virgin Hotels, has also secured a job since his internship. He said: “Edinburgh Project SEARCH really helped me develop my confidence.
“My work experience placement with Virgin Hotels Edinburgh helped me further develop my customer service skills too. These gave me the motivation to apply for a role as a concierge in the hotel – a job I was successful getting!
“This was all made possible with the support of my workplace buddies and the ‘People Team’ in the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Project SEARCH team.”
Edinburgh’s new starts were welcomed by Council Leader Cammy Day, Planning Convener James Dalgleish and Chief Executive Andrew Kerr at a special induction ceremony.
Celebrating the start of the new Project SEARCH term, Council Leader Cammy Day said: “One of our biggest priorities in the aftermath of the pandemic has been to improve opportunities and outcomes for our young people, including those with complex needs.
“I’m proud of the inspiring and talented group of graduates we’ve nurtured to date and excited for the 21 new recruits. Such internships give these special young people the same opportunities as their peers and space to shine.
“Since 2014 Project SEARCH has been about teaching skills to be an employee as well as learning and a number of graduates have gone on to succeed in getting jobs in the council, which is fantastic! The placements can unlock confidence, build CV skills and be the difference between someone choosing to enter the workforce or feeling unable to.”