Our supported internship with GXO
Learners on this supported internship programme complete up to 900 hours of
work experience
Work experience is when you try out a job to help you learn new skills.
between September and July. Learners are based permanently at a single site, GXO's distribution centre that they run for supermarket chain, Iceland in Enfield.
This programme is delivered in close partnership with GXO and a charity called DFN Project Search.
What kind of work do learners do on this supported internship?
Learners on this programme can complete work experience Experience is when you have learned or tried something before. across a range of roles at the GXO Iceland distribution centre:
- Warehouse operative
- Administration roles in the warehouse and in transport
- Human Resources, helping to promote activities and initiatives for GXO colleagues.
Learners will work across different warehouses at the distribution centre which includes warehouses that are kept at very cold temperatures and others that may get very hot sometimes.
Working in a warehouse is very well suited to people who like to follow a process. Learners will need to be good at following instructions and able to stand for long periods.
GXO offer a very friendly and supportive workplace with an on-site canteen. The logistics sector often has vacancies and GXO have a track record of offering jobs to supported interns. We hope many learners who complete this programme will be able to move on into paid positions with GXO.
Where is this supported internship?
Learners will be based permanently at GXO's distribution centre that they run for supermarket chain, Iceland.
The site is at Innova Park in Enfield, a 15-minute walk from Enfield Lock station and is also on the 491 bus route. This programme is well connected to areas like Tottenham, Lea Bridge, Stratford, Cheshunt and Waltham Cross.
Learners on this supported internship programme are based permanently at GXO's Iceland distribution centre in Enfield. The address is: Iceland Distribution Centre, Innova Business Park, 5 Solar Way, Enfield, London EN3 7XY
The site is 0.8 miles (17-minute walk) from Enfield Lock station which is well connected to stations like Stratford, Tottenham Hale, Lea Bridge, Hackney Downs, Liverpool Street, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Bishop Stortford. You can also get the 491 bus from outside Enfield Lock station that will take you directly to the warehouse.
The 491 bus route also runs through Enfield Town, Edmonton, Ponder's End, Brimsdown and Waltham Cross.
Find out more about the 491 bus route
The 121 bus route also goes to within a 12 minute walk of the site (from Mollison Avenue stop), serving areas like Wood Green, Arnos Grove, Southgate and Oakwood.
Find out more about the 121 bus route
E
We understand that some people may not have much experience of travelling on their own and may feel nervous about finding their way to their supported internship when they start the programme.
Young people will have the chance to visit the GXO warehouse before starting on this programme as part of the enrolment process, so potential learners can start to familiarise themselves with the journey then.
Mencap can also provide travel training for up to 6 weeks at the start of the programme, helping you plan and learn different routes to the warehouse from your home.
You may also be able to get some travel support before joining the course from your local
council
A council is also called a local authority. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. Visit your council's
website
A website is a page you can go to on the internet like Google or YouTube.
to find out more about what travel training they may offer:
No.
If you are in receipt of benefits like Personal
Independence
Independence means doing things on your own. Making your own choices.
Payments (PIP) or Universal Credit (UC), these will not be impacted by enrolling on this programme.
We ask people if they receive any benefits when they express an interest in our programmes so we can let the Department for Work and Pensions The Department for Work and Pensions is sometimes called the DWP. It is part of the government and manages payments and benefits like Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Employment and Support Allowance, and Income Support. ( DWP DWP stands for the government Department for Work and Pensions. ) know if you enrol on the programme, so you can continue to receive benefits.
The aim of a supported internship programme is for learners to progress into paid work, ideally of 16+ hours a week. However, working 16 hours or more a week may impact the benefits a person receives.
The government
The Government are the people who run the country. They decide how much tax people should pay for things and how things like the National Health Service should work.
's new Right to Try policy means starting a job no longer triggers an automatic benefits reassessment. We will also work with you during our referral and
assessment
An assessment is a way of finding out what help a person needs. When you have an assessment, you might have to go to a meeting or fill in a form.
programme and when you are on the programme, to understand how paid work may affect your benefits using tools like Better Off Calculators. We will then work to support you into a job outcome that works for you.
The Mencap Training Academy is able to offer bursaries to some of our learners.
We can provide up to £1200 a year to learners to help with the cost of things like travel, clothes and study materials.
To be eligible, learners must have a household income Income is all the money you get from things like paid jobs and government benefits. not above £33,000 if they live in London and not above £30,000 if they live outside London.
If you think you may be eligible for one of our bursaries when joining our programme, please let our local team know and we can explore this further with you.
Find out more about our bursaries
If you would like to enquire about enrolling on this employer-led supported internship, then the best way to start the process is by completing our online expression of interest form.
However, if you would like to get in touch with a member of the team directly, then please contact our north west London programme coordinator James Roche.
For general enquiries, you can also contact: [email protected] and [email protected]
How do young people enrol on this supported internship programme?
To express an interest in joining this employer-led supported internship and to start the enrolment process, please complete our online expression of interest form:
When the forms asks you which programme you would like to enrol on, please select Enfield (GXO).
If you or the person you are enquiring on behalf of are eligible for a supported internship, then a member of our team will work to get in touch with you within 10 working days.
Before we can agree to enrol learners, we will need to see a copy of the young person's EHCP and to meet with them to discuss why they want to enrol on the programme, as well as their skills, needs and interests. We will also hold 'employer matching' days at the GXO Iceland distribution centre to decide which learners can take up placements and to give young people a taster of what they will be doing on the programme.