Internships pilot 'leads the way'

Internships included catering assistant roles

A project in Norfolk which helps students with learning difficulties find work is to be rolled out across the UK.

Students on the first Project Search scheme have just graduated from internships at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Roles included housekeeping, health records work and catering.

The county council, which helps run the project, said the government hopes other UK partnerships will do the same.

Other organisations involved in the project are Remploy, which provides employment services for people with disabilities, health management company Serco, and City College Norwich.

'Valuable training'

Students from City College, who started the landmark course last year, celebrated their graduation from the scheme last week. The students will now be supported to find full time jobs.

The county council said the government is inviting proposals from local partnerships interested in running their own Project Search, using the Norfolk model.

David Harwood, cabinet member for adult social services, said the project created valuable training opportunities and helped people with learning difficulties to be ambitious and achieve their aspirations.

"I am delighted that we are leading the way nationally in this area and that the government has decided to roll out this project across the country," he said.

In September, Norfolk will start a second programme with Norse Commercial Services as the host employer.

Internships will be available in many sectors such as gardening, woodwork, finance and administration.