Are we taking advantage of these interns by not paying them? Expand No. Whilst interns are not paid, they are fully funded as if they were still at college. Their time with you is voluntary and they increase their experience and value to you, as a potential future employee. During this time, you get to know them well, their quality of work, reliability, fit and productivity.
As an employer, what extra do I need to do if we have an intern? Expand Usually very little. You will need to provide effective line management and supervision of the intern as you would with other employees, although a lot of support will be provided by the bemix Work Coach, especially at first.
Collaboration Expand Support given to people is most effective when the people and organisations giving it work closely together. We value co-working over competition. We build partnerships and share resources with organisations whose values are like ours. Our quality and excellence are motivated by our commitment to people.
Do we have the right insurance to cover unpaid workers? Expand Yes. Standard employee insurance covers any unpaid workers too.
Do you offer travel training? Expand We do not offer travel training to access our functional skills, job club or social enterprise sessions. We can offer support within a job club to support the young person to plan their journeys but do not offer travel training unless to a work placement.
Health and Safety Expand Protecting people’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing is essential. We work in a way that protects people’s independence and choice, and encourages shared responsibility for health and safety.
How are the Supported Employment work placements chosen? Expand We fit the job to you. Before you start the programme, we work together to find out what work placements will best suit you. We create your Vocational Profile. This is a document with information about your hobbies, skills, strengths, support needs and areas of interest for work. For example, you may be interested in working in an office and filing documents. When we have completed your Vocational Profile, we will work with employers to then find a placement suited to your needs and career path. Sometimes, we cannot always promise you start on a placement straight away. You may be placed on an ‘interim’ placement first. This is because we search for the job that suits you!
How does a supported internship help me save money with recruitment? Expand Recruiting just one new staff member costs an average of £5,000* It takes a risk with someone you don’t know well. If your intern is right for the job, you can bypass the crowded jobs market and simply appoint them, saving all that money and uncertainty. Hiring an intern who can do the job is positive action under the Equality Act 2010. They’re also much more likely to stick at the job, having already proved themselves. A supported internship could fill a post beset by high staff turnover. We select young people who are committed, loyal and motivated. They want to work! We can also help adapt your recruitment process and policies to make them more accessible, also at no cost. * Source: Acas http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5434
How is this different from work experience? Expand Job-matching and full on-site support. bemix ensures that we match the right interns for the right job. We spend time to find the right fit for you. Combined with the on-site support by the bemix work coach, your intern will fulfil an existing business needs, so no need to ‘design’ activities.
How much does the programme cost and will my benefits change by working on this programme? Expand The programme is free. Whilst you are not paid for the internship, you are fully funded for the programme as if you were still at college. Any benefits you receive are not affected during the time of the supported employment placement. If you progress into paid employment, then benefits may be affected.
How much will this cost my business? Expand No cost Our Interns are fully funded and supported within the workplace by a bemix Work Coach. There is no salary, no contract and no financial obligation. bemix organise everything and do not charge for any part of their services to you. bemix takes time to understand your business and the specific business needs, so there is very little time required outside those of a normal operating business.
How successful have placements been? Expand Very. Most young people have life-changing experiences whilst working as interns. They gain confidence, maturity and experience throughout their placements. Many interns are employed at the end of their term and more have life changing experiences that set them up for their next steps, whether that be an apprenticeship, specific vocational qualification or simply being more confident to achieve more. Businesses have learnt more, gained loyal and willing staff, seen existing staff morale increase and become more aware of a wider market place in terms of employees and customer base.
I have never worked before, can I still come on the programme? Expand Yes! The aim of the programme is to help you become independent and be ready for work. We accept different people from different backgrounds – including people who have never worked before. Most of your time will be spent in your placement. This will grow your confidence in a working environment, even if you have no previous experience!
I have no experience in supporting a person with learning disabilities or autism. What if I get it wrong? Expand If the match with the job is good and the right support is in place, a person with learning disabilities or autism can work as well as anyone else. What’s really essential is the kind of supportive line management you would give to anyone in your team. We’re there for you, at the end of the phone whenever you have any concerns. We’ll complement that with as much guidance and training as you need to understand and work with the support needs of your intern.
Is health and safety considered if we take an intern on? Expand Yes. bemix pay for and provide a personal and independent Health & Safety assessment for each Intern, which is shared with you before the placement begins.
Is the Supported Employment Programme full-time? Expand Yes, both the Supported Internship programme and Preparation for Employment programme are full-time 1 year programmes. Our aim is to bridge the gap between leaving your education and stepping into employment. The programme starts in September, with the aim to finish in June or July. We would take over from any school or college you are currently at.
Is there any training available to us as employers, for our staff? Expand Yes. bemix can provide free Autism awareness training, tailored to your intern. We also take time to help you and your staff understand more about your intern, before and during and throughout the Supported Internship.
Not-for-profit Expand Not-for-profit - social goals are more likely to be achieved if there is no profit motive. This does not mean we should not make money from the work we do; it means that no individual should benefit from any profit made. We therefore put all our profit back into supporting the work we do. This saves our customers and funders the cost of private profits. We believe in rewarding employees with fulfilling work, the minimum of a Real Living Wage, and employment terms and conditions that value their family and social lives.
Positive Campaigning Expand We communicate and campaign in a way that tells people what we want. For example, “Support parents with learning difficulties!” should be used, not “Stop taking people’s children into care!”. It is important to try to understand and hear all sides of an argument and the reasons why people might disagree with our values and beliefs; working with people or organisations, rather than against them, where we want change to occur. We believe this is the most effective way of making a lasting positive change. Visit our Campaigns page for more information on our latest positive campaigning.
Progression Expand We support people to work towards and achieve their goals and develop their skills and interests. This includes the people we support, as well as our employees.
Respect and Compassion Expand All beings should be free to live a life safe from harm. We should extend this respect to all living things, not just humans. This means working in a way that protects humans, animals and other than human life. We encourage people to consider how their actions affect the world around them. We encourage discussion and debate around ethical issues. It is important that we give people the opportunity to express their personal beliefs (freedom of speech) even if they are different to our own, or bemix’s, beliefs, providing they do not cause harm to others.