Supported Internships for young people with SEND
Working with a Supported Intern towards sustainable employment
As a Supported Internship Coordinator, I support Interns across three college providers during their Supported Internship programme. I work with them to progress and help them move towards paid employment.
If Interns have not secured a paid outcome by the end of their internship, they are referred to Forwards Employment Service to continue receiving personalised employment support.
During the summer, between July and September, I typically manage a caseload of three to five young people, maintaining momentum and identifying opportunities for former Interns.
Supporting aspirations
One young person I am currently working with has a long-term aspiration of becoming a train driver. During our initial assessment and triage process, we identified that although he had successfully achieved his English qualification, he needed to gain his Maths qualification before he could access the train driver pathway. Alongside this goal, he wanted to secure part-time employment to earn money, increase his independence, continue his hobbies, and work towards learning to drive.
Working collaboratively with the young person, I developed an action plan focused on both his immediate and long-term goals. I supported him to apply for a Maths course through one of our training partners, providing a pathway towards achieving the qualifications required for his chosen career. At the same time, I have been delivering employment support, including CV development, cover letter writing, job searching, interview preparation, and application support.
Through our ongoing relationship with the employer, we have identified a second opportunity with the company where he completed his work placement. During his placement, he developed the skills needed for the role, gained valuable experience and thoroughly enjoyed the work. Following discussions with this employer, a suitable vacancy became available. We supported the young person by ensuring his application was strong, building his confidence and further developing his interview skills. The young person succeeded at interview and is now in post with Gloucestershire Managed Services.
This dual approach allows the young person to work towards his long-term career aspiration while securing meaningful employment in the short term. Although the vacancy has not yet been advertised, the customer is in a strong position to apply and demonstrates increased confidence, clearer career goals, and demonstrates greater independence because of the support provided.
For more information on Supported Internships and the Forwards Employment Service, please visit Gloucestershire’s Local Offer for Parent Carers, Support for Families with SEND.
Future Me, the website developed by and for young people with SEND in Gloucestershire, provides information on next steps for young people.
Young people can also tell us what they think of SEND services in Gloucestershire through the Annual SEND Survey 2026 for young people aged 16-25.
For more information on mainstream and special schools, colleges and settings across the county, please visit the recently-updated Education pages, as well as individual listings on Gloucestershire’s Local Offer website for Parent Carers, Support for Families with SEND .