Supportive Employers Forum gathers momentum

“We want to be involved in a long-term solution with a long-term strategy to support young people in the community with sustained employment."

The third Supportive Employers Forum, hosted by Hereward College, has seen Warwickshire move closer towards its target of placing 100 people with Special Educational Needs (SEND) in supported internships and other employment opportunities by September 2020.

A range of companies and training providers came together to forge links with the aim of providing internships and valuable work experience to learners at Warwickshire’s special schools and colleges.

The Supportive Employers Inc forum is a partnership between Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and the Careers and Enterprise Company in Coventry and Warwickshire (CEC) which aims to bring businesses together to share ideas and best practice on providing supported internships to people with SEND.

Among the delegates was Maxine Wheeler, the Apprenticeship and Work Experience Manager with George Eliot Hospital, who outlined how far the trust’s ambition to take on up to 12 interns has come.

The trust currently has four interns with SEND, aged between 16 and 24, on a nine-week placement. It is hoped that these will lead into paid apprenticeships, leading to full-time employment.

Two of the interns are in the estates department while two are in the stores which Maxine described as being almost like an ‘Amazon-style warehouse’ which takes electronic orders to ensure wards have essential materials.

This is planned to be the first part of a three-year programme in which four interns are taken on each year. Maxine is looking at building relationships with local special colleges to ensure there are enough suitable candidates for the internships.

Maxine said: “We want to be involved in a long-term solution with a long-term strategy to support young people in the community with sustained employment. Being part of this supportive network is great and. as we move forward, we will look to make strong links with other partners in the trust as well.”

Other speakers included Kelly Westwood, group talent manager at MacDonald Hotels, and Paul Cook, Principal at Hereward College, who introduced delegates to the Premier Inn Training Complex. Sarah Tregaskis, of Warwickshire County Council, reported that Warwickshire now has 65 people with SEND in supported internships and Dave Lennox of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub urged delegates to pledge support and to get them to look out for the next forum which will focus on interns themselves.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council said: “It is great to see that the Supportive Employer forum is gaining momentum and that more relationships are being forged. At this most recent event, an impromptu speed dating session saw several links made between special schools, colleges and businesses which we hope will bear more fruit.

“The next event, which interns themselves will be attending, promises to be amazing. I look forward to being part of the day and seeing these young people whose dedication and commitment are rewarding the hard work that went into establishing the internships.”

For further information, please contact faywinterburn@warwickshire.gov.uk