High school students with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to participate in Project SEARCH - a 10-month program involving an internship at London's Parkwood Institute.
Project SEARCH is being offered by St. Joseph's Health Care London in partnership with the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and Hutton House. It is described as a school-to-work transition program that helps prepare students in their last year of high school for the working world.
Seven students currently participate in the program, rotating though three different 10-week internship positions at Parkwood Institute over the course of the school year.
Jeuel Alpuerto is one such student, who took a particular liking to the Food and Nutrition Services at St. Joseph's.
"I’ve learned a lot of skills,” Alpuerto said. “It’s been a great experience. I also like to cook so it was nice to be in kitchens."
Some of his tasks include sanitizing dishes, loading carts, and preparing meal trays.
Through their work, students also learn how to better manage their time and collaborate with others.
Interns in the Project SEARCH program start their day in the classroom gaining transferrable work skills before heading to different areas of the hospital to get some practical experience. Instructors from TVDSB and Hutton House oversee the program.
“It’s an honour to be involved in a program that has such a positive impact on the interns’ lives and to raise awareness of the value they bring to workplaces,” said St. Joseph’s Vice President of Patient Care and Risk Management Sandy Jansen. “This initiative also works to build alliances in our region and foster equity and well-being of our community and workplace. We are proud of all of our Project SEARCH interns and are grateful for the meaningful work they do.”
