Supported internships

What is a supported internship?

A supported internship is a study programme for young people aged 16 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and want to move into work but need some extra support.

Internships usually last for a year and include up to three different work placements.

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How does it work?

Supported internships give people a chance to take their first steps into the world of work. They can build skills for the workplace, get qualifications and apply for a paid job. Our internship offers a mix of learning and job coaching across a wide range of roles, including:

Customer service.
Maintenance.
Catering.
Childcare.
Retail.
Administration.
And many more.

New for 2025 – 2026

From 2025, we’ll be offering internships in Hackney and Harrogate on top of our wide range of placements across England.

We are always looking to add new locations to our existing offer. If you are an employer wanting to offer a placement or a Local Authority who would like more information about our internships, complete the contact form below and someone will be in touch.

Where we deliver Supported Internships

We help interns find and keep paid jobs. Once the internship is completed, our team work to provide continuous support around looking and applying for work. On average, 70% of our interns move into paid work after completing the internship.

Our offices are open 9am-5pm and interns attend between 9am-3:30pm.

Download our Supported Internships brochure.

Employer partnerships

Our internships rely on our extensive range of partnering employers. We work with Five Guys, Nando’s, Morrisons, The Entertainer, Black Sheep Coffee, Sambrook’s Brewery, Transport for London, Heathrow Airport and many more.

Adding an intern to your team not only supports them in getting work experience, but they also bring real value to your business. They are reliable, happy and often bring new ideas and ways of working. Our team offers training to help you understand how best to support interns.

Read what some of our current employers have to say about working with us:

“The Entertainer Wakefield has been working alongside Shaw Trust for a couple of years now, the rewards are overwhelming. The staff are supportive towards all their students and to us, as an employer”.

"When we joined the internship programme in 2019, we didn’t know what to expect, but now we know that we made a very good decision to join. Every intern is a different character, and we always have fun while we are working hard."

"In my opinion everyone should get involved, it’s good for the business as well."

"Unless you try it out with your business you don’t know how it’s going to fit, and it fits in absolutely amazingly."

"Everybody deserves a chance, just give them that little bit extra support and then they’ll be absolutely fine once they’ve settled in.”

You can also find some blogs at the bottom of this page which show just how these placements can change lives. Still need to know more, check out our employer brochure here.

How to apply

To get started fill in a form and a member of our team will be in touch:

Step 1 of 2

Who are you? (required)

I am a young person
I am a parent/carer on behalf of someone else
I am an employer/local authority/partner requesting more information

Full name (required)

Email (required)

Phone number (required)

Postcode (required)

Blog

Heathrow internships become a flying success

Heathrow Airport internships were a major success; six of eight interns secured paid jobs at the airport or nearby sites.

From shy intern to confident ambassador

From nervous intern to confident ambassador, Aidan's story highlights the power of supportive work experiences.

Developing resilience on the journey to paid employment

Our supported internship programme offers young people aged 16 – 24 with an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) a chance to undertake three work placements across a year.

Policies and procedures

At Shaw Trust we believe everyone has the right to live a decent and dignified life and an opportunity for rewarding work. We are a charity challenging inequality and breaking down barriers to help people achieve their full potential. Click here to find out more about Shaw Trust.