My name is Shannon, I am 29 years old, and I am one of the mentors on the Supported Internship Programme within NHS England; I would like to tell you a bit about why I feel the programme deserves to be nominated for an Inclusive Award.

Before this project began, I was working solely as a Business Support within the regional Multiprofessional Workforce and Education team. When I was given the opportunity to work on this pilot programme, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had no real experience in mentoring, nor did I have a background in SEND education or working with young people with additional needs; I was excited to be involved, but unsure of what I would be able to bring to the table aside from a passion to help others.
I was supported fully by my managers and the programme team, as well as the external stakeholders who collaborated with us on this project, but the real driver for me came when I met our interns. Getting to know them and understanding their life experiences and their dreams made me determined to help them to build their futures in the way that they wanted.
Using the connections we had within our teams in NHSE and beyond, we sought out every opportunity we could to develop these three young people and open the doors that up until now, had been closed for them.

As a team, we supported them to attend events, to network, and to learn new skills and knowledge. I also worked on my own knowledge, undertaking courses to improve my understanding and better support them to achieve their goals. We arranged voluntary placements in their desired areas of work so that they could get some hands on experience to help them apply for jobs post-internship. We encouraged them to pursue the things they were passionate about, and not to let anything stand in their way.
The interns have blossomed during their placements with us and their confidence has improved dramatically; we have gone from having three young people who struggled to hold a conversation or switch on a computer, to having three work-ready young adults, ready to go out into the world on their own.

This pilot programme was a collaboration between the Employment is for Everyone team within Speakup Self Advocacy, the NEY Learning Disability and Autism Teams within NHS England and South Yorkshire ICB, the NEY Multiprofessional Workforce and Education Team, and Rotherham Opportunities College, and every person involved was integral to the programme’s success.

The three mentors from the host employers/placement teams were:

– Deborah Maude – Learning Disability and Autism Team – NHS England (NEY)
– Jo McCausland – Learning Disability and Autism Team – South Yorkshire ICB
– Shannon Farrell – Multiprofessional Workforce and Education Team – NHS England (NEY)

The role of the mentors was to provide on the job support and training – introducing the interns to the world of work within NHS England, but it became so much more than this.
Support was provided by the Employment is for Everyone team, and we partnered with Rotherham Opportunities College (ROC); working together to identify the students for the internship placements. The students had a dedicated job coach, provided by ROC, who supported them throughout their time on placement – Angela Thursby should also be given recognition for her dedication to the three interns and to supporting them to achieve.

The three designated mentors from the host employers brought passion, commitment, and tenacity to doing what they could to get the best outcomes possible for the interns despite other considerable work pressures. The mentors also engaged in professional development during their own time, upskilling themselves to better support the interns during their placement. This additional training and knowledge meant that they were able to create resources for the interns, making learning more accessible. They have also supported the interns from a pastoral perspective, helping them navigate the transition from college to adulthood (and employment) and preparing them for the future.

Over the course of this academic year, we have faced significant challenges as an organisation due to restructuring (affecting capacity and demands) and the recent announcement of the dissolution of NHS England. Despite these challenges, the three interns have remained at the heart of this, and all 3 have had positive outcomes as a result of the programme.

As part of large public sector organisations all host employers feel that they should be leading by example to give young people who show an interest in working for the NHS an opportunity to start on a pathway to a potential career.