An inspirational NHS Lanarkshire initiative that helps young people with autism and learning disabilities into employment celebrated its latest students’ achievements at a packed graduation ceremony.
DFN Project Search, which has been running since 2010, is an internship programme that has NHS Lanarkshire as the host business, supported by ISS, the company that provides facilities management at University Hospital Hairmyres in East Kilbride.
University hospitals Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw each welcomed seven or eight students during the latest year-long course, with the 23 young adults attending daily employability classes before taking on the challenge of three 12-week work placements.
Professor Jann Gardner, Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire, and NHS Lanarkshire Board Chair Martin Hill joined families and friends of the students along with representatives from the other Project Search partners – education provider New College Lanarkshire, supported employment providers North and South Lanarkshire Councils, and the Project Search organisation.
Jann said: “I was delighted to attend the event to celebrate the graduation of this year’s students.
“NHS Lanarkshire is incredibly privileged to work with these fabulous young people across all our hospital sites as they gain their first experience of employment, and we’re absolutely thrilled to continue to support them and future students on their journey.”
NHS Lanarkshire and ISS staff who were hospital mentors to the students took to the stage to pay tribute to the graduates during the ceremony at South Lanarkshire Council’s headquarters in Hamilton on 4 June.
Among them was William Thomson, from University Hospital Wishaw’s mailroom, who said the group’s inspiring presence had perked him up when he was unwell.
He explained: “I was ill and in high-dependency in Wishaw for a week. Asked who I wanted to visit me, I requested to see my bosses – and the Project Search students. They’re a credit to themselves, their family and friends.
“One of the best positions I’ve had in the mailroom was becoming a mentor when Project Search started 14 years ago. All the students have come in with same work ethic and always want to do their best. They go on a journey, starting timid and moving on to have a rapport with colleagues, patients and visitors.”
The programme underlines NHS Lanarkshire’s status as an “anchor organisation” – a large local employer that can have a strong and positive influence on the health and wellbeing of their local communities.
Following the mentors’ speeches, the students gave their reflections on the ground-breaking transition-to-work scheme.
SELECTED CASE STUDIES
University Hospital Hairmyres, East Kilbride
Alannah Watson, 18, from Hamilton, said: “When I first started, I was extremely shy and wouldn’t open up much. But since being on this course I have grown so much as a person and my confidence is over the top now.
“Thinking back to my first day at porters, I didn’t cope well and I didn’t enjoy it but I spoke to managers, sorted a plan and I felt much happier after that and enjoyed having a laugh with the porters.
“But the linen department is my happy place. I automatically clicked with the staff and environment. My life has changed in a good way since joining the course and I now have a job with the ISS linen team.”
University Hospital Monklands, Airdrie
Ross McLaughlin, 19, from Motherwell, said: “Project Search has helped me become more responsible and mature and given me work experience you wouldn’t get anywhere else.
“It has also given me confidence to get a job I want in the future. My placements were in catering, pathology and porters. My favourite was porters as that is the one I could see myself doing as a job,” added Ross, who has, indeed, landed a porter role with NHS Lanarkshire.
University Hospital Wishaw
Project Search had never had a placement in an emergency department until motivated student Justin Miller changed all that.
Justin, 20, from Bellshill, worked as a porter before moving to the day surgery unit to be a clinical support worker (CSW). He then knew exactly what he wanted to do – working directly with patients in a ward.
He particularly wanted to try being somewhere really busy – so where better than the emergency department (ED)? He spoke to the ED managers who were delighted to give Justin the opportunity to have a placement there.
Justin said: “It’s been a great experience – very busy, with only two quieter shifts in the time I was there.
“When I started I didn’t know what to do but the managers spoke to the staff and they really helped me.
“We all work as a team and it’s very rewarding seeing patients getting the help they need and then heading home,” added Justin, who was cleaning and doing care work in the department. He’s now secured employment with a company.
