Learning Disabilities Week 2022 – our Project Search Intern experiences

To celebrate Learning Disabilities Week 2022, we want to shine a light on the excellent contributions our Project Search interns make to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB).

Project Search offers training and work experience to young people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) so they can gain the skills and confidence they need to successfully move into paid employment.

Cardiff and Vale UHB became a Project Search organisation in 2021 and interns joined several departments in University Hospital of Wales (UHW) including pharmacy, cellular pathology, restaurant, switchboard and linen. 

 Lee Barker, Operational Service Team Manager, said: “I would highly recommend hiring an intern from Project Search to any manager within the Health Board.

“Our interns have demonstrated their capability through working across multiple departments of the organisation. They have certainly proven to be essential to our work force, and become key members within their teams. Some individuals have even been encouraged to apply for permanent positions in our Health Board.     

“Just by giving these individuals the opportunity and encouragement to dip their toe into the large and intimidating ocean of employment, it has given all of our interns the confidence to drive in knowing that they CAN swim just like everyone else.” 

Our interns have shared their personal experiences of working for the Health Board and what Learning Disabilities Week means to them.

Thomas – 17

I have completed a placement in the waste department. My colleagues were very helpful and I really enjoyed all the fun we had working as a team in the department. I am currently on a placement in the Portering Department which I also really enjoy. This placement has given me an opportunity to develop my navigation skills, my confidence and my time management skills.

The placements through Project Search have taught me how to work independently as well as part of a team. My confidence has improved a lot during this time and I am proud of myself for this. I felt that I was really part of the team during my placement.

I have applied for a job within the portering team which I am awaiting an outcome. In the future, if I don’t secure a job within the Health Board I would like to work with animals.

Alberto – 19

In my first placement with the Cellular Pathology Department, I shadowed the scientists within the department. I carried out tasks such as observing dissections and cleaning up after them.

Things that I enjoyed most included watching the dissections and understanding what the scientists were doing and why. The staff were very helpful in taking care of all of my needs.

I am currently in the Pharmacy Department where my current responsibilities are accepting and unpacking deliveries that come in. I have really enjoyed the task based work and physical labour required in this role. The staff have been very helpful and I have learnt a lot during this time.

In the future I hope to achieve a job in the aforementioned placements.

To me, Learning Disability week means accepting and understanding that not everything is black and white, and people have multiple variations of possibilities. 

Johnny – 17

I have completed a placement in the Portering Department, where I was responsible for collecting samples from various places across the site and delivering them to the labs. I also helped to move patients to and from wards/clinics and I had collected oxygen tanks to deliver these to the wards.

I enjoyed working in this department because I had to move a lot and therefore I got to see a lot of different parts of the hospital. I have learnt navigational skills as part of my experience and my self-confidence has improved. The other porters were really helpful to me during my placement.

During my pharmacy placement I was sorting returned medicines and organising the stock room to replenish and rotate the stock to make sure everything was in date. I also had to pick various medicines for various wards/clinics. During my placement in the postroom, I have been responsible for labelling, counting and weighing letters and parcels and getting them ready for delivery.

In the future I would like to work permanently for the NHS in their postroom.

Learning Disability Week is important to let people know about the different learning disabilities people have.

Dylan – 18

I work currently in the Pharmacy Department. I am responsible for the Box Assembly which involves collecting various medicines from various locations in the medicine stores and packaging them for delivery to different wards and clinics. I also help sort through the returned medicine making sure the medicine has been dispensed by this Health Board, is within date and is unopened and therefore can be returned to stock. I correctly dispose of out of date medicine and also complete stock rotation within the stock room to ensure it is organised.

I have enjoyed the responsibility that I have here and being treated like and adult as well as the commute to and from work.

My co-workers have been helpful and offer guidance when I need. I have felt very valued by my colleagues and I like working as part of the team.

The placement has made me more confident and I have been able to show my skills to people.

I wish to go to college next, whilst maintaining my part time job.

Learning Disability week is a chance to raise awareness of people with disabilities and additional learning needs and how important it is for them to have work opportunities.

Charlotte – 19

I have completed a 10-week placement in Y Gegin which is the hospital restaurant. My tasks involved sanitising the table, cleaning and replenishing the sanitiser and emptying the bins. I also served food such as sandwiches and pizza to the customers and I really enjoyed meeting them all.

I wear two hearing aids and glasses and I struggle to speak but I found my team very helpful and supportive.

My new placement is in Housekeeping working in the creche at UHW. Here, I must load and unload the dishwasher, clean the tables down and mop the floors. I am really enjoying working with my team here.

In the future I would love to study in college and the work in a restaurant.

Learning Disability Week means that everyone’s differences are recognised and celebrated.

Jay – 17

My initial placement was in the Linen Department. I started working here on the ‘bank’ system to cover staff sickness but now I have been fortunate enough to secure a part-time contract, working 30 hours a week.

My duties include sorting out the fresh linen and making up the correct amount of each item for each department. I deliver the linen to my areas; maternity and paediatrics. I collect the dirty linen from these departments and bring it back. I also help to load and unload the laundry truck.

I really like the environment I work in as the atmosphere with my colleagues is good. We work hard but we have lots of fun. I feel settled, like I’ve been here for a lot longer than I actually have.

I have learnt almost all the routes and I am confident to work on any area. I am really proud that I had a chance to prove myself and have been given a job.

Now I feel independent and definitely more mature.

Jaydon – 18

I am currently working in the Pharmacy Department. I only completed one placement in the Health Board as a part-time job came up in the department, which I was lucky to secure.  

I work in ‘goods receiving’. I use sheets with orders on to find the medication from the right places like the store room or the fridge, then I box it up and put it on the shelf for the porters to deliver it.

I like working and being treated like an adult. I like the way that I have to move around everywhere and talk to everyone, I know everyone’s name.

I like working for the NHS because it is an important job - we really help everyone.