Become a host business.

Have you thought about how you can open doors for young talent?

Hosting a DFN Project SEARCH supported internship is a powerful way to support young people aged 16-24 with a learning disability and/or who are autistic to take their first steps into work.

It also helps your organisation build a more inclusive, skilled and diverse workforce, while enhancing reputation and trust as a socially responsible and inclusive employer in line with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.

Why become a host business?

By hosting a supported internship, you will:

Access a new and diverse talent pool

Work with interns who are eager to learn and contribute, while nurturing a future talent pipeline to reduce recruitment costs.

Support inclusive employment

Help young people gain real on-the-job experience in a supportive workplace.

Positive workplace culture

Boost morale, productivity and retention, and provide staff development opportunities through mentoring, supervising and working inclusively.

Strengthen your social impact

Demonstrate your commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and support your ESG goals.

What’s involved?

As a host business, you’ll provide real job roles across your organisation where interns can learn through hands-on experience. Interns will still be enrolled in full-time education, so there is no requirement to pay a salary; but they will spend most of their learning on the job in your organisation. We also involve you in the selection process so that interns complete your standard onboarding checks like any team member.

How does it work?

Over the course of three terms, interns complete three rotations across different functions of your business, enabling them to experience a variety of job roles and develop a broad skillset. They’ll be supported by job coaches day-to-day to help them settle in, alongside dedicated learning time to develop skills that prepare them for real-world working life.

What support do host businesses receive?

You won’t be doing this alone. We offer you a full package of support that gives you a specialist tutor and job coach, so your managers and mentors feel fully supported. Our friendly team of programme specialists will also be on hand to support you in setting up the programme, facilitating the partnership through steering group meetings, and providing advice and guidance whenever you have questions. We’ll also equip you with continuous training and support around inclusive recruitment.