Our supported internship in Northamptonshire
Learners on our supported internship in Northamptonshire complete a minimum of 420 hours
work experience
Work
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
is when you try out a job to help you learn new skills.
over the year. We can offer work experience placements with employers in retail, hospitality, administration, health and
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
and logistics.
Employers we work with in Northamptonshire
Greene King. The UK's biggest pub chain. Hopsitality work experience placements available in front of house and back of house roles - waiting on tables, serving at the bar and working in the kitchens.
Cineworld. Hospitality work experience placements available in roles providing
customer
A customer is a person who buys something or uses a service.
service, selling tickets and food, cleaning.
Howdens. Kitchen equipment retailer. Retail work experience placements available, providing customer service and replenishing stock.
The Entertainer. Toy retailer. Retail work experience placements available, working the tills, providing customer service and replenishing stocks.
Sanctuary Care.
Care home
A care home is a place where people who need support live. There are staff there all the time.
provider. Health and social care work experience placements available in roles like carer, activity assistant, play worker.
Daisy Chain Nursery. Health and social care work experience placements available in roles like carer, activity assistant, play worker.
Northamptonshire County
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. 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.
. Administration work experience placements available.
Yusen Logistics. A leading logistics company. Administration and logistics work experience placements available.
Wincanton. A leading logistics business. Logistics work experience placements available in warehouse operative roles.
Classroom learning
Learners on our Northamptonshire supported internship attend classes at Charles House in Northampton 1.5 days a week, learning employability skills. They spend the rest of the week in work experience placements.
96% of learners who completed our supported internship in Northamptonshire in 2023/24 got a paid job!
Oliver's story
Oliver was one of five learners in Northamptonshire who secured paid jobs with Greene King after completing our supported internship programme in 2023/24. Oliver had to overcome many obstacles to achieve this outcome. But he showed so much resilience, jumping at the opportunity to do work experience with Greene King. He did so well there that within just four weeks, he was offered the job!
How can young people enrol on this programme?
To express an interest in joining our supported internship in Northamptonshire and to start the enrolment process, please complete our online expression of interest form.
If you or the person you are enquiring on behalf of are eligible for a supported internship, then a member of the team will work to get in touch with you within 14 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 do a supported internship, as well as their skills, needs and interests.
Our Northamptonshire prospectus
You can find out more about all our programmes in Northamptonshire in our 2025/26 prospectus.
Our classroom where we deliver the classroom learning elements of our supported internship in Northamptonshire is at Charles House in Northampton. It is a 0.6 mile (15 minute) walk from Northampton station. It is also close to bus stops on the 19A and 41 routes (Derngate Centre stop) and the 4, 5, 9B, 12 and 51 routes (General Hospital stop).
We offer work experience with lots of different employers in Northamptonshire, so we can potentially find placements for learners that are nearer their homes if this is needed.
We understand that some people may not have much experience of travelling on their own and may feel nervous about finding their way to our classrooms and to their work experience placements.
We encourage people to come and visit our premises before enrolling to see what it’s like and to get a sense of the journey from home. We also try to arrange meetings with employers where learners will do work experience before they start on the programme so they can experience the journey to the workplace as well.
You may also be able to get some travel support before joining the supported internship from your local council.
For west Northamptonshire residents, visit https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/school-travel-assistance/post-16-travel-assistance
For North Northamptonshire residents, visit https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/school-travel-assistance/applying-school-travel-assistance/post-16-travel-assistance
Mencap can also provide travel training for up to 6 weeks at the start of the programme to help learners learn the routes to their work placements.
If you would like to enquire about enrolling on our supported internship in Northamptonshire, 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 the programme coordinator in Northamptonshire, Anthony Woode.
07483 363 658
For general enquiries, you can also contact: employment.support@mencap.org.uk