Project SEARCH is a supported internship programme hosted by employers, designed to help young people with learning disabilities into work. It is a year-long programme of on the job training, which is described as 'employer-led'.

 

                                                 Project SEARCH started in Cincinnati Hospital in 1997, there are now over 200 sites

                                                 worldwide and 32+ sites in the UK.

 

                                                 It is now the 7th year of Project SEARCH at St George's Hospital, and seven students

                                                 are in work placements around St Georges Hospital. They are working in the Porter's

                                                 department, Theatre Porters, Main Reception, M&S, St George’s Advanced Patient

                                                 Simulation Department (GAPS), Radiology, the Library, Pharmacy, Out-Patients  

                                                 Reception, Haematology, The University Sand and the Playroom.

 

                                                 The trainees are at work Monday to Friday from 10am until 2.30pm.

 

                                                 The trainees are supported by a full-time course tutor and a job coach from Action

                                                 Disability, who will help the students to find employment at the end of the year;

                                                 either within the Hospital or externally. The trainees will spend the majority of their

                                                 day in a work placement within St Georges Hospital, alongside a mentor and team.

 

                                                 Project SEARCH changes the way people think as it challenges ideas about what

                                                 people with a learning disability can do. It raises expectations of employability and

                                                 the general public can see people with a learning disability hard at work as part of

                                                 everyday life.

 

Only 7% of people with learning disabilities nationally are in any form of paid work, compared

with 74% of the wider population.

 

However, many of our trainees are now in meaningful employment within the hospital and externally.

 

From our previous years we have graduates employed at the Hospital; in Sterile Services,

General Portering, Theatre Portering, M&S and at the Canteen. We also have graduates working

at M&S in Richmond station, Shangri-La at the Shard, KPMG, Poplar School, the Unicorn Theatre

and Tooting Leisure Centre. One of our graduates is working at Cricket Green School as a

Lunch-time Assistant and Teaching Assistant.

 

The other graduates returned to college to pursue their studies, or are supported by employment services to continue their search for employment. Working alongside the St Georges staff has greatly increased the employability skills of each of our graduates, and allowed them to show what they can do.

 

We send our congratulations to all these young people and wish them all the best for the future.

 

We are very fortunate to have an enthusiastic Project SEARCH team supported at the Hospital by the Business Liaison partners who have helped us move the project forward massively this last year and supported by Action on Disability.

As ever, the mentors in the hospital departments are working hard to support our trainees doing a great job - we are very grateful to them all!

 

We look forward to another positive and successful year with our

thanks to all who contribute so much.

 

For further information please contact:

 

Beth Madigan at bethany.madigan@cricketgreen.merton.sch.uk

Annie Brine at annieb@cricketgreen.merton.sch.uk

Amy Vinall at amyvinall@aod.org.uk  

 

 

 

Like us on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/projectsearch.stgeorges/

 

 

 

Please see these articles to find out more:

https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/work-with-us/project-search/

 

https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/newsitem/st-georges-celebrates-project-search-success/

 

https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/newsitem/project-search-students-experience-st-georges-work-placements/