Project Search
Project SEARCH at St Georges is a supported internship programme hosted by
St Georges Hospital, designed to help young people with learning disabilities into
work. It is a year-long programme of on the job training. We help young people with
learning difficulties find work opportunities.
It is now the 8th 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 various
departments around the hospital: Theatre Porters, Main Reception, St George’s
Advanced Patient Simulation Department (GAPS), Radiology, the Library, Pharmacy,
Out-Patients Reception, Hematology, The University Shop, Recruitment, Electronic
record systems, medical staffing 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 supported employment co-ordinator , who will help the students to find employment throughout the year and particularly 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, and 75% of people with a learning disability want to find work.
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, medical records, and at the Canteen. We also have graduates working at M&S, Shangri-La at the Shard, KPMG, Poplar School, the Unicorn Theatre, next retail, Law firms, Starbucks, Pret 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 each year.
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
Amy Vinall at amy.vinall@cricketgreen.merton.sch.uk
https://www.dfnprojectsearch.org/transition-to-work/- to add
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/
I really enjoy my placement doing Admin work in the Recruitment HR Department.
My mentors are very funny and friendly. I like learning new tasks and putting the recruitment packs together.
I feel I do a really good job.
