Page navigation
Are you interested in joining Future Ready or Supported internships?
Future Ready
What is Future Ready: Learning for Life and Employment?
Future Ready is a 1-year person centred study programme for those who are interested in the world of work but may not have had the opportunity to develop the key skills needed. Future Ready gives students the opportunity to complete work experience, visit employers in the local area as well as continue with the required education elements. Students on Future Ready may be able to transition onto our Supported Internship programme when they finish.
It is a 4-day a week study programme: 2 days spent in education, and the other 2 days will be a combination of work experience placements, task or community days and employer visits. It also includes preparing for adulthood pathways of being part of a community, having a social life and friends and being able to maintain good health.
Students will be supported by a job coach on their work placement days, to provide the opportunity to explore the working environment and to develop in confidence and transferable skills.
This year will enable us to develop a secure and rounded understanding of the students’ needs to create a detailed vocational profile which will provide guidance and understanding should the young person wish to progress to a Supported Internship placement. Obviously, this is not a ‘one size fits all’ model and the individualised programmes mean that some students may be able to transition directly to paid employment after completing ‘Future Ready’.
Can I do Future Ready: Learning for Life and Employment?
To be eligible for Future Ready: Learning for Life and Employment you need to be:
- Aged 16-24 years old
- Have a current EHCP
- Have a desire to be in paid employment
- Either travelling on public transport independently or wants to learn how to travel independently on public transport.
Where is Future Ready: Learning for Life and Employment based?
We are based in the Bexhill/Hastings/St Leonards area. With Work placements within this area. The education day will run from The Pelham in Bexhill.
What will the schedule be on Future Ready: Learning for Life and Employment?
Future Ready: Learning for Life and Employment is a 4 day a week study programme. You will be in education 2 days a week. The other 2 days will be a combination of work experience placements, Task or community days and employer visits. This will be supported by a Job Coach and gives you the opportunity to explore the working environment and to develop in confidence and transferable skills.
| Future Ready: Preparing for Life and Employment | |
| Day 1 | Employer Visits/Task Days/Community Days |
| Day 2 | Education |
| Day 3 | Education |
| Day 4 | Group / Individual Placements |
(20hrs – 23hrs per week)
Hours per academic year (36 weeks) = 720hrs – 828hrs*
- 2 days education (6hrs per day)
- 1 day placement 3-5hrs per day + travel
- 1 day employer visit / task day / community day/ employability course (5-6hrs per day)
*Hours may differentiate to meet the needs of both the student and the employer.
Education days will cover English, Maths, PSHE, employability skills and work-related training (examples food hygiene, health, and safety). Also included across the programme will preparing for adulthood pathways of being part of a community, having a social life and friends and being able to maintain good health.
Future Ready FAQs for individuals, parents and carers
On education days the individual will be supported by the college tutor and college assistants.
As Future Ready is a full-time education study programme, students are not employed for their work-experience placement and therefore not paid.
What happens next/after Future Ready?
When you complete the Future Ready course you might:
- Transition onto Little Gate Supported Internship
- Transition into Paid Employment*
- Transition to another service in the local area*
Are you interested in joining Future Ready or Supported internships?
Supported Internships
What is Supported Internship?
Supported internships are a 1-year structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The core aim of a Supported Internship study programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach. A Supported Intern spends the majority of their week in a real-life workplace working alongside colleagues.
Little Gate Supported Internship is a 4-day a week study programme. 3 days a week spent on placement. 1 day a week spent in education.
Can I do a Supported Internship?
To be eligible for a Supported Internship you need to be:
- Aged 16-24
- Have a current EHCP
- Have a desire to be in paid employment
- Either travelling on public transport independently or wants to learn how to travel independently on public transport.
Where is Little Gate Supported Internship based?
We are based in the Bexhill/Hastings/St Leonards area. With Work placements within this area. The education day will run from The Pelham in Bexhill.
What will the schedule be on Little Gate Supported Internship?
The supported internships programme is a 4 day a week study programme. You will be on work placement 3 days a week and in education 1 day a week.
| Day 1 | Placement |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | Placement |
| Day 3 | Placement |
| Day 4 | Education |
Supported Internship hours = 21hrs – 24hrs per week
Hours per academic year (36 weeks) = 756hrs – 864hrs*
- 3 days placement 5-6hrs per day + travel
- 1 day education (6hrs)
* Hours may differentiate to meet the needs of both the student and the employer.
Education days will cover English, Maths, PSHE, employability skills and work-related training (examples food hygiene, health and safety). Also included across the programme will be preparing for adulthood pathways of being part of a community, having a social life and friends and being able to maintain good health.
How will I be supported on the Supported Internship?
On the Supported Internship you will be supported by a Job Coach in work whilst you learn your role and tasks. As you become more confident and secure in your understanding of your role the Job Coach support may gradually reduce to build independence.
On education days the individual will be supported by the college tutor and college assistants.
Supported Internships FAQs for individuals, parents and carers
What happens next/after A Supported Internship?
What happens after A Supported Internship?
When you complete a Supported Internship, the main aim is paid employment. You might:
- Have a paid job
- Transition to a Supported Employment Provider
- Start an Apprenticeship.
Who will I work with?
The Little Gate College team is made up of several staff. Throughout the internship, Individuals will work with a combination of staff.
More staff details coming soon.
Are you interested in joining Future Ready or Supported internships?
Employer Information
To host an intern in a workplace can be immensely rewarding, to both the other employees and the wider business.
It can act as an extended working interview. A placement gives interns the opportunity to develop and showcase their skills over a longer period of time.
A placement gives employers the opportunity to test drive potential employees.
Provides motivated employees who are committed to your business.
An intern can bring new prospectives, ideas and skillsets to an employer or business.
Increases workplace diversity, to reflect the community.
It demonstrates great social responsibility.
Employers we have worked with have said ‘It has been a positive experience for everyone involved, the staff have benefitted from having direct experience with someone with a learning disability if they hadn’t done so before so I would say it has broadened everyone’s experience.’
Employer FAQs
The intern would be supported at work by a Job Coach. The intern will need to have a colleague assigned to them as a mentor whilst on placement. This person would be their main point of contact and the person who would show and teach them their tasks.
During a placement employers are asked to complete regular in work reviews with the intern(s) and Job Coach to identify successes and next steps and actions that the intern(s) needs to focus on.
At the end of a placement, we ask that employers complete a placement evaluation.
For Supported Internships there is no set number of interns an employer can host. We would talk to you about your business and jobs/roles you have and ask you to identify how many interns you felt you could host in your business. Employers with a variety of departments/areas may be able to host more than one intern. Smaller employers may feel that one intern is enough, but may be happy to host interns on a rotation for 10-12 weeks at a time. The intern would be supported by a Job Coach.
Are you interested in joining Future Ready or Supported internships?
Statistics and impact
Statistics and impact
Little Gate Supported Internship Pilot Project ran September 2022 – July 2023. This pilot had 4 interns.
Over the Supported Internship year interns attended placements with 9 employers. Some placements were attended by 2 interns.
Over the Supported Internship year interns were on average on placements for 5hrs per day.
Over the Supported Internship year interns worked in a variety of sectors:
Care, Charity, Education, Hospitality, Manufacturing, Retail and Tourism.
50% are now in paid employment as a direct result of Internship placements.
50% are accessing Supported Employment services.