Improving employment outcomes for local neurodivergent young people is a key aim for Falkirk Council’s Employment and Training Unit (ETU). For the past seven years, ETU has been working in partnership with NHS Forth Valley, Forth Valley College and Serco to deliver David Forbes-Nixon (DFN) Project SEARCH. During that time 53 young people have been supported to complete the nine-month internship, with around 85% achieving sustainable employment at the end of this. For our 2023-24 graduates, we have achieved 100% into jobs and we are well on our way to similar outcomes for our 2024-25 cohort.
DFN Project SEARCH is a fidelity model linking classroom-based training with hands-on work experience. Importantly interns are supported by a full-time job coach as well as in-work ‘buddies’ who ensure our young people are provided with lots of instruction and practical help. It’s this combination that helps to level the playing field for young people with additional support needs, setting them up for future success.
Another of the key success factors is the partnership model. Each plays their own part in the delivery of roles across Forth Valley Royal Hospital. NHS Forth Valley provides the delivery site and work placements, with buddies and most work placements sourced and supported by Serco. Forth Valley College is the education partner providing lecturing and job coach staff with daily classroom-based learning. Falkirk Council’s Employment and Training Unit is the licence holder, providing funding from various sources including Scottish Governments ‘No One Left Behind’ local allocation, determined by the Local Employability Partnership while also delivering wrap around employability support, including dedicated staff working with interns to secure job outcomes at the end of each delivery year.
Over the course of each delivery year, DFN Project SEARCH interns gain invaluable work experience in three different work areas across the hospital campus. Importantly, these are all fully supported by the job coach and their buddies.
Here’s what some of our interns have said about their experience:
“Serco staff treat us as colleagues and are very helpful.”
“I expected to work with the best people, and they have improved on my expectations.”
“The environment we are working in is safe and we have great support from SERCO staff.”
Sarah McCulley, Senior Service Manager, Falkirk Council Learning and Employability explains: “Closing the disability employment gap is a long-standing aim for Falkirk Council’s Employment and Training Unit, and our award winning DFN Project SEARCH programme offers a tried and tested model that allows us to work in partnership to deliver great results for young people in the council area. We have 10 new interns just starting their journey at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, bringing the total number supported to 63 and we intend to continue to build on this.”
For more information about DFN Project SEARCH, or other employability support, contact the Learning and Employability ETU team on 01324 504408, or email etu@falkirk.gov.uk. Alternatively, follow this link to Forth Valley College website - Course Details | Forth Valley College.
