According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), only 4.6% of people with a learning disability are in paid employment.
Our transformative journey to address this gap began with a Project Search supported internship at Musgrove Park Hospital, which is quite literally across the road from our Taunton Campus. Through this internship, we have seen fantastic outcomes for our students. Aaron, for example, was placed at the hospital in work rotations including the Acute Medical Unit. He overcame social isolation, his learning difficulties and anxiety, built a friendship group and has now gained a sustainable paid role at Musgrove Hospital.
It’s his story, and the experiences of others, that makes our supported employment provision essential.
The success of this internship has increased local demand for such programmes and resulted in us expanding opportunities and developing pathways in collaboration with our local authority and local employers.
