The Mencap Training Academy is part of the Royal Mencap Society and is a provider of Supported Internships. We support young people with EHCPs to complete work experience with the aim of getting a paid job at the end.
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The Mencap Training Academy runs a number of Supported Internship programmes across London.
These are programmes open to young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), aged 16-24 who want to find a paid job.
We help them to do this through:
Education provided from our classrooms 2 days a week from September to December and then 1 day a week from January to the end of the programme in July. Sessions cover a wide range of topics tailored to learners' needs and aspirations, from understanding health and safety in the workplace to creating a CV and preparing for interview.
Work experience with a range of employers and in roles that align with the skills, interests and aspirations of young people.
As a national learning disability charity, Mencap has partnerships with a wide range of employers including: Greene King, Travis Perkins, Tesco, Delfont Macintosh, The Financial Times, Google, Wincanton, Decathlon and more. From 2024/25, we are also working with Sutton Borough Council to offer placements to learners within the council.
Currently, our nearest classroom to Sutton is in Kingston at:
Units 3 and 4 Parc House Studios
25-37 Cowleaze Road
Kingston Upon Thames
KT2 6DZ
This is where the classroom element of the programme is held. Work experience takes place at a range of employers and can potentially be arranged in places closer to learners' homes.
We take referrals from lots of different London boroughs and learners do not have to live in the borough where our programme is based.
The enrolment process
Our supported internships start in September and run through to July but there is never a bad time to get in touch to start exploring enrolment.
The best way to start the process is to complete our online expression of interest form. This will ensure that we have the information we need to know if you or the person you are referring is eligible for a supported internship.
We will then be in touch with a brief assessment for prospective learners to complete and to arrange an initial meeting. We will look to arrange a virtual and an in-person meeting, during which we will complete an assessment so we understand young people's needs and aspirations and to ensure that our programme is a good fit for them.
Alternatively, to find out more you can contact our programme coordinator for south west London, Lucinda:
To start the enrolment process, please complete our online expression of interest form. If you are a Sutton resident, we reccommend that you select the south west London option as the area where you are interested in completing the programme.
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