Students and graduates with disabilities and long-term conditions will have the opportunity to take part in a three-month internship with a top UK employer thanks to leading charity Leonard Cheshire’s flagship internship programme.
Applications have opened for the Change 100 programme, which gives students the worthwhile opportunity of finding valuable, paid work experience with leading organisations across a range of industries and sectors.
In response to the pandemic, Change 100 offered home-based placements and delivered professional development opportunities online. It will continue to do so for 2021 to ensure as many internship opportunities as possible.
These highly-coveted internships help remove barriers experienced by disabled people in employment, allowing them to achieve their full potential and improve disability awareness within the workplace.
Change 100 also delivers a dedicated six-month professional development programme during and after the internship, enabling disabled students to find and sustain employment to develop their careers and improve their skills and confidence. Change 100 also supports businesses in offering advice and guidance on how to support students with disabilities and long-term conditions.
Some Change 100 employers include Greenpeace, BBC, Arup and Taylor Wimpey.
Emma Stewart, a 2020 Change 100 intern, who completed a work experience placement at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), said:
“The Change 100 experience has completely transformed my approach – it has made me think outside the box and I’m now more open-minded about jobs in different sectors. Now I have much more confidence in my ability and realised I’m not the only one who faces challenges or barriers, which is an example of how the programme is tailored to each intern.”
Change 100 was a finalist for the 2018 National Undergraduate Employability Awards, in the category of Best Disability Initiative in Work Experience, as well as the proud winner of the 2015 and 2016 RIDI Awards.
Applications are open until 7 January 2021. Students are encouraged to apply at leonardcheshire.org/change100 as soon as possible for these highly sought for placements.
Attend a session
Kickstart your Career with Change 100 (General) | 01 December 2020 | 18:00 – 19:00
Kickstart your Career with Change 100 (General) | 17 December 2020 | 17:00 – 18:00 (Last one before Deadline)
Excitingly, on 10 December, they will be running a one-off Meet The Alumni event, where prospective applicants can meet and talk with a panel of previous interns, including the opportunity for more individual conversations in breakout rooms.
Register for the Meet The Alumni event.
