East Sussex College - Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is a supported employment initiative for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Project SEARCH started in the USA in 1996 and is now being taken forward in Europe and the UK. Within the UK, Project SEARCH is essentially a joint project between a local authority, a local college or school and a host employer. One of Project SEARCH’s most unique attributes is its emphasis on collaboration. Project SEARCH is driven by partnerships and a network of tutors, job coaches and job developers and business leaders that play an integral role in executing our goal of obtaining paid employment for individual with disabilities.

Benefits to participants:

• Participate in a variety of internships to explore employment aspirations and interests
• Acquire competitive, transferable and marketable job skills
• Gain increased independence, confidence, and self esteem
• Obtain work based individualised instruction, coaching, support and feedback from job coaches and host business managers and buddy/supervisors
• Develop links to adult support agencies and community networks