Aviva welcomes young adults with Education, Health and Care plans to Supported Internships event

The second round of a Supported Internship programme to help young adults transition from education into employment will begin in York in September 2025.  

A supported internship is a one-year transition-to-work programme for young adults aged 17-24 with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP), who are interested in learning valuable skills and joining the workforce.  

The programme is a collaboration between Aviva, City of York Council, York College, disability charity United Response, and the national transition-to-work charity DFN Project SEARCH. The partnership creates inclusive employment opportunities and empowers young adults through specialised training and practical work experience.

An open event about the programme will be held on Wednesday 29th Jan, 3.30 – 6pm, at Aviva’s Wellington Row office to help young people and their families find out more about the internship opportunities and how to apply.  It is an opportunity to visit the Aviva offices and find out more about the roles available, as well as meet with City of York Council, United Response, DFN Project SEARCH and the education team at York College. 

The Supported Internship vacancies will be available in York from September 2025 and the new interns will be working from Aviva’s city centre offices in York, supported by an on-site job coach from United Response and a tutor from York College.

Five young people from York College have already completed the first three months of the Supported Internship programme and have been working out of Aviva’s York office in a wide range of roles, including IT, Data Insights, Customer Operations and Pricing. 

Harrison, an intern in the Data Insights team said: “Working within Aviva and this internship has helped my confidence quite a good amount. I have been working with many different ages and being in such a different work environment compared to college has gotten me more used to a work environment overall. I’m getting to do projects and work that fits to what I did within College.”

Holly Hudson, Aviva York Supported Internships Lead, added: “We are really excited to once again provide this opportunity for young adults in York with an Education, Health and Care plan, to work at Aviva, in collaboration with our dedicated partners across the county.

“This initiative ensures we are celebrating the strengths of our communities and colleagues, alongside creating talent pathways into Aviva that are accessible for everyone, so all young adults can develop the employment skills they need to get ready for their futures.”

Cllr Bob Webb, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “This programme is a great example of how we’re working with partners across the city to create opportunities for all our residents to learn, earn and grow.  

“I’d like to thank all those involved, particularly Aviva, for hosting the interns, showcasing the positive impact that diversity has in the workplace.  I hope that many more young people and employers will be able to benefit from schemes like this in York in the future.” 

Bernadette McGouran, Associate Head of Learning Support at York College said: “Providing meaningful pathways to employment for young people with EHCPs and/ or SEND is one of the college’s key areas of focus.  Being part of this great collective and all working to deliver the Supported Internship has been one of the highlights of this academic year and is something we hope will continue for years to come.  Our young people are not only learning transferrable skills in the workplace, they are also making friends with their workplace colleagues.”

Leanne Hirst, Programme Specialist at DFN Project SEARCH commented: “We are incredibly proud of these five interns for successfully completing the first phase of their supported internship. It’s inspiring to see their progress and we’re thrilled that more spaces will be available in York from September 2025. At DFN Project SEARCH, we are committed to transforming how society perceives and supports young adults with a learning disability, ensuring they have every opportunity to thrive in meaningful employment.”

Emily Collins, Job Coach at United Response, said: “We are delighted to be working together to support autistic young people into employment. We are committed to the long-term goal of this partnership, in showcasing the importance of diversity in the workplace and breaking down unnecessary barriers so young people with autism or learning difficulties are no longer locked out of employment.”

Parents, carers and young people will be able to find out more at yorksend.org/preparing-work/supported-internships.  

For those planning on attending the event who have any questions or require any adjustments for accessibility, please email yorksupportedinternships@aviva.com

-ENDS-

Aviva also provides supported internship for young adults with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) at its Norwich offices. This supported internship programme is a collaboration between Aviva, Norwich County Council, the Wherry School, and DFN Project SEARCH.

About DFN Project SEARCH

• DFN Project SEARCH is a business-led, one-year transition to employment programme for young people with a learning disability and autism or both. 
• DFN Project SEARCH believes that everyone deserves the right to aspire to the very best future, yet fewer than 4.8% of people with a learning disability who are known to local authorities in England go on to secure full-time paid employment.
• Its ambition is to ensure that everyone with a learning disability or autism can attain high-quality, integrated employment in their local area. 

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