Internships designed to help people with learning disabilities into work will be tested by employers across England, minister for disabled people Jonathan Shaw said today.

Project Search provides a series of internships with an employer for people with learning disabilities and 14 sites, announced today, will take part in a government evaluation of the model from next September.

Organisations with sites approved by the Learning Disability Programme Boardare: Bath and North East Somerset Council; Bolton Council; City of Manchester; Department for Work and Pensions – Pensions, Disability and Carers Service, Newcastle; Derriford Hospital, Plymouth; Great Yarmouth Further Education College; Kent Adult Social Services; Leicester City Council; Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals; NORSE Commercial Services, Norwich; Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn; Royal University Hospital, Bath; Sandwell Borough Council; The Southwark Partnership.

Project Search provides interns with essential work and social skills to help people with learning disabilities into real jobs. Interns are unpaid and remain on government benefits during the programme.