Two Lancs Police employees from Burscough and Penwortham have made history!

Two of our employees have made history after becoming the first people in the country to graduate from a police internship for young adults who have a learning disability or an autism spectrum disorder.

Jack Hamilton, from Penwortham, and Luke Williams, from Burscough, both completed a year-long Supported Internship with the force and today (Monday, June 26th) were celebrated with a ceremony, with their family, tutors and colleagues present.

Lancashire Police is the first force in the country to become a host business for this type of internship, supporting young people who want to be in employment but may need extra support as they get used to the world of work.

Jack, 21, completed his internship in our ICT client support team and then in the stores and admin team. Luke, also 21, started off in our Digital Media Investigation Unit, before moving to Contact Management and then to the force Crime Registrar’s Data Audit Team.

There wasn’t a dry in the house as they addressed those present to talk about their experiences and to collect their awards from Chief Constable Chris Rowley.

Chief Constable Rowley said: “It was a real pleasure to present Jack and Luke with their certificates and awards, and formally welcome them to the constabulary.
“They have worked hard to reach this point, and it is particularly pleasing to be able to reward them for their work and dedication.
“This has been a successful pilot programme which other companies are intent to deliver and we look forward to be able to develop this further in the future.
“This is another example of our forward thinking to deliver a better service to our communities, and I’d like to thank all those involved with delivering the project.”
Luke and Jack were enrolled on the course as part of ‘Project Search’, which helps young adults with learning disabilities, autism spectrum conditions, or both, transition into the world of work.

Luke attended the ceremony with his mum, Lynn Williams, who said: “I am so proud of Luke and how much progress he’s made since having a place on this internship. I’m so hopeful now for the future.”
Jack, who hasn’t missed a single day since the internship began, was supported by his mum, Belinda Hamilton, and grandparents Deanna and Michael Hamilton.

Belinda said: “Jack has done so well and it’s been lovely seeing his confidence grow. He’s really enjoyed his time with Lancashire Police and everybody has been so welcoming.”
DFN Project Search is an international 'Supported Internship' program which was set up for young people aged 16-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). As the host business, Lancashire Constabulary, in partnership with Preston College, Lancashire County Council and HFT, looks forward to welcoming a cohort of eight interns in September for our second year.

The programme provides real-life work experience combined with on-site classroom sessions in employability and independent living. It helps interns gain competitive, marketable and transferable skills.

Gary Bartlett, a tutor at Preston College, who has supported Jack and Luke with the educational side of their internships, said: “This supported internship is a fantastic opportunity for learners with an EHCP to get ready for the world of work. It’s great to see how far Luke and Jack have come, as they have both made massive leaps in terms of confidence and work skills.”
We are thrilled to say both men will be staying in employment in-force, as they have now been accepted onto the Police Staff Apprenticeship Scheme, with Jack set to apprentice in ICT and Luke in organisational development.

We are so proud of them for the dedication and hard work they have put into completing their first year with us.

More information on the internship programme can be found at www.dfnprojectsearch.org and www.hft.org.uk.