An ethnographic study of a Project SEARCH Supported Internship programme: a focus on social inclusion for learning disabled people

In England the employment data shows that only 4.8% of ‘adults with a learning disability' are in paid employment compared to 86% of the general population. Referred to by the English Department for Work and Pensions as the disability employment gap, in 2013 the Department for Education introduced Supported Internships as a means to address this inequality.

Defined as a structured work-based, educational programme for young learning-disabled adults, Supported Internships are designed to improve the life chances of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by supporting them into sustained paid employment. Whilst these programmes have seen growing implementation over the past twelve years, the existing research focusses primarily on employment outcomes, with limited investigation into the broader impacts of Supported Internships, such as social inclusion.

Addressing this gap of research, this study focusses on the factors mediating social inclusion for six interns enrolled in a nine month (one academic year) Supported Internship programme located in a hospital.

Employing an immersive ethnographic methodology, data for this study was gathered daily throughout the nine months of the Supported Internship; methods of data collection included, observation, reflective fieldnotes, interviews, and the gathering of artifacts and documents.

Critically analysed through the lens of a biopsychosocial ecological systems theory which comprises five interconnected systems, analysis starts with the individual systems of disposition, demand and resource, and extends through to the outer socio-political system.

Focussed on the factors mediating the interns' social inclusion, this research reveals the significance of the interns' self motivation, support networks, public transport, the host business's organisational culture, and Supported Internship policy frameworks.

The findings demonstrate that these internships deepen social inclusion through increased community participation and interpersonal relationships, while also highlighting challenges in maintaining these affirmations post-programme. This research challenges the Department for Education's singular focus on employment outcomes as a measure of success, advocating for more holistic evaluation criteria that recognises social inclusion dimensions.