DFN Project SEARCH: Helping young people take their next steps into work

City of Glasgow College is proud to be part of DFN Project SEARCH, a one-year transition programme supporting young people who are autistic or have learning disabilities to develop the skills, confidence and experience they need to move into employment.

The programme is delivered through a partnership between City of Glasgow College, the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University and Glasgow City Council’s Supported Employment team.

This year’s cohort are now gaining valuable hands-on experience through a series of work placements. Over the academic year, interns complete three 10-week placements, giving them the opportunity to try different roles, build workplace skills and discover more about the type of work they might like to pursue.

Several of this year’s interns are undertaking their placements at City of Glasgow College. One of them is David Martin, a former City of Glasgow College student who previously studied City Works. Before joining Project SEARCH, David gained experience through placements with Ruchazie Pantry and the British Heart Foundation, as well as volunteering with GET Free Books Glasgow.

He is now back at City as a kitchen porter and is looking forward to building his skills through further training, work experience and personal development.

For the interns, the placements are about much more than gaining experience. They provide an opportunity to build confidence, develop communication and teamwork skills, establish workplace routines and put their existing skills into practice in a supportive environment.

Each intern is supported by Project SEARCH staff and colleagues within their placement department. They are also paired with a volunteer ‘buddy’, who helps them settle into the workplace, provides day-to-day guidance and supports them as they develop their skills.

Meet this year’s interns

Find out more about this year’s DFN Project SEARCH interns and hear about their experiences, DFN Project SEARCH: meet this year’s interns.

Could your team offer a placement or become a buddy?

As the programme continues, there is an opportunity for more areas across the College to get involved.

We are particularly keen to hear from teams who could offer a suitable work placement for a future rotation, as well as colleagues who may be interested in becoming a buddy to an intern.

Offering a placement can give a young person the chance to develop practical skills and experience in a real working environment, while buddies can play an important role in helping interns feel part of the team and supporting their development.

If you or your team could offer a placement, or you would like to find out more about becoming a buddy, please get in touch with Jade Gilmour Jade.Gilmour@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk.