Project SEARCH Culzean earns praise across the pond
A partnership course organised by Ayrshire College, National Trust Scotland and Girvan Youth Trust has earned special recognition at an annual conference in the United States.
The Project SEARCH course at Culzean Castle Country Park is an employability programme for 17 to 24 year olds who have learning disabilities, including those on the autistic spectrum, that are looking to gain employment.
The South Ayrshire Project SEARCH programme is the only one in the UK to be based at a National Trust site.
The Ayrshire College/National Trust/Girvan Youth Trust Project SEARCH course won the 'Spotlight on Effective Internships' award at Project SEARCH's annual conference - an award specially created for this course to recognise its uniqueness.
Students involved in the programme rotate around several work placements, called internships, within the Culzean Castle grounds, working in the café, the gardens, the gift shop, the hotel, the kitchen, in housekeeping, and with the rangers.
The award recognises a team that tirelessly develop internships with marketable transferable skills that are in demand in their communities.
Applications for this Project SEARCH course are handled through Ayrshire College's website, and anyone who takes part in the course is supported over 18 months to help them find employment. The course has had great success in finding suitable jobs for its participants.
Clare Baird, Employability and Engagement Officer at Ayrshire College, said: "I'm absolutely delighted with the award. In the short time we have been running the programme in South Ayrshire we have built an amazing relationship with all the staff out at Culzean Castle who have been so supportive to our students in their internships. The partnership between Ayrshire College, Girvan Youth Trust and National Trust for Scotland is built on good communication and recognising how to enable the young people to get the most out of their time spent with us."
3 August 2020
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