DFN Project SEARCH: feasibility study report

DFN project SEARCH is a form of supported internship. The programme is designed to help young people aged 16 to 24 with a learning disability, who are autistic, or both into work.

Individuals are referred by their Further Education college or local authority to site assessment days (typically occurring March-June), where representations of stakeholders including the college and the host employer assess the individuals eligibility and suitability for the programme. Eligible and suitable individuals may then be offered a placement, or ‘internship’ which typically starts in September.

‘Interns’ are trained via a series of work placements with a host employer over the course of one academic year. All interns receive at least 700 hours of practical experience across the 9-month programme, which aims to support interns to secure permanent employment paid at competitive wages, either within their host employer or elsewhere.

Usually, ‘interns’ have an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

Evaluators used a mixed-methods approach, including :

• Desk research to review the existing evidence
• Collection and analysis of data from site assessment days to understand the selection process and candidates’ characteristics
• Interviews with various stakeholders
• Workshops with DFNPS to determine the feasibility and preferability of different impact evaluation designs