Interns celebrate Learning Disability Week with successful first cohort of pilot scheme

This Learning Disability week, our interns have reached the end of the first course of a pilot scheme working with different departments of the Facilities team in Nevill Hall Hospital.

The group of 6 Independent Learning Skills (ILS) learners from Crosskeys Campus started their supported internships through Engage to Change Gwent* in September 2021.

The internships are designed to help the learners gain meaningful and valuable work experience across different departments in the hospital. It gives them a taste for working in the healthcare industry, while being supported to develop their employability skills and confidence.

Nevill Hall Hospital Facilities Supervisor, Terry Williams, has been involved with looking after the programme alongside Coleg Gwent staff. He explained; “It’s great to be able to give students interactive skills because we have a lot of patient contact. They’re learning many skills, including health and safety and about delivering a service.”

During their internships, the students have been spending 4.5 hours, 3 days a week, with active Facilities staff in their roles, learning about what it is like to work in a hospital. Shadowing cleaners, hostesses, porters, and administrative staff, the students have been learning the best ways to communicate with patients and colleagues, as well as learning to carry out the crucial tasks that help maintain the quality of patient care.

The learners have integrated well with staff during their internship placements, and we’ve seen their confidence grow and grow. Terry commented; “They bring so much personality to the hospital and we’ll miss having them helping us each week.”

The initiative was sparked from the need for further development with young adults that have learning disabilities in our community. It provides an opportunity for real-world work experience that can help prepare them for a successful future career after college.

Plans have been agreed and planning is taking place for the next internship term starting from September, with Facilities staff at the hospital looking forward to furthering success with supporting students from Coleg Gwent.

Find out more about our ILS programmes and supported internships at our next open event – register here.

*This Engage to Change project is delivered in partnership between Learning Disability Wales, Agoriad Cyf, Cardiff University, ELITE and Aneurin Bevan Health Board. It is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and Welsh Government.