From intern to employee - Helen’s recipe for success
Helen Thompson’s Supported Internship with Sodexo Colchester, delivered in partnership with ECL and Colchester Institute, helped her build the skills, confidence and independence needed to secure a permanent role as a Food Service Assistant. Her journey demonstrates how Supported Internships create life-changing opportunities for young people with SEND while helping employers develop motivated talent and more inclusive workplaces.
For many young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the transition from education into employment can feel uncertain. Supported Internships offer a practical and supportive route into the workplace, helping individuals build skills, confidence and independence. Helen’s story is a powerful example of how these programmes benefit both interns and employers.
Helen Thompson is 23 years old and an accomplished swimmer who has represented Great Britain internationally, competing in Portugal, Sardinia, Paris, Canada and Italy. Alongside her sporting achievements, she enjoys running and leads an active lifestyle. Helen, who has Down’s Syndrome, has a strong interest in pursuing a career in catering and hospitality. Before starting her internship, she studied Food and Hospitality for three years at Derwen College, a specialist college for young people (16–25) with SEND based in Shropshire.
Helen wanted to continue building her practical skills and find a job that matched her interests. She initially contacted ECL’s Inclusive Employment Service with a view to pursuing paid work in the catering sector. With the support of one of ECL’s Job Brokers, Helen applied for a role with Sodexo Colchester PFI, who were in the process of collaborating with ECL and Colchester Institute regarding a Supported Internship programme. It was fortuitous timing as this job application led to Helen becoming part of Sodexo’s first Supported Internship programme in Colchester.
Designed to bridge the gap between education and employment, Supported Internships combine real work experience with classroom learning, offering interns the chance to develop both technical job skills and essential life skills. The overall aim is to support young adults with learning disabilities and/or autism into paid, sustainable employment.
An advocate of inclusive employment, Sodexo Colchester provides facilities management services for The British Army’s Colchester Garrison at Merville Barracks, as well as Colchester Hospital.
Helen’s role was as a Food Service Assistant, based in the Browning Junior Ranks Diner at Merville Barracks. Working 18 hours a week She undertook a range of responsibilities, including:
- Serving hot food
- Preparing baguettes and jacket potatoes
- Operating the till
- Cleaning seating areas, tables and booths
- Clearing tray trolleys
Her training was structured and delivered in stages, focusing on one aspect of the role at a time. This approach ensured that learning was manageable and not overwhelming, allowing Helen to build confidence gradually.
Alongside her work placement, Helen attended Colchester Institute one day a week to study employability skills, as well as English and Maths; reinforcing the knowledge needed both in the workplace and in everyday life. The balance of college and work suited Helen perfectly as it fitted in around her swimming training which she undertakes three days a week.
I loved working with my colleagues and being part of a team. Everyone was really friendly, and I loved all the aspects of the job.
Helen Thompson
Building confidence and independence
One of Helen’s key achievements has been developing her independence. Travelling to both work and college independently by bus and taxi, demonstrating the real-world skills that Supported Internships aim to develop.
Helen embraced every aspect of her internship. Through her experience, Helen has made lasting friendships and felt fully included in the workplace. She credits the support she has received from ECL job coaches, her Sodexo managers, Chloe and Nick, and her work buddy Mary for helping her succeed.
Since completing her internship, Helen has become more independent, her confidence has soared and she is more sociable. She also feels she has grown in professionalism, becoming more chatty and polite in her interactions with colleagues and customers.
Helen’s ultimate goal was to secure paid employment with Sodexo which she has now achieved. She completed her internship in June 2026 and the following month began working for Sodexo as a Food Service Assistant in the Montgomery Junior Ranks Diner at Merville Barracks. Sodexo were able to offer her a 20-hour contract so that Helen could have the time she needed for her swimming training. Her next goal is to live independently with friends.
Helen’s a real asset to us. The soldiers all think she’s amazing.
Nick Baxter, Deputy Centre Manager, Sodexo Colchester PFI
Employer perspective: A positive experience
For Sodexo, hosting a Supported Internship has been highly rewarding. Nick Baxter, Deputy Centre Manager at Sodexo Colchester PFI, has been closely involved in supporting Helen.
He explains: “The ECL Job Coaches were brilliant from the word go… the whole Supported Internship process was really smooth. I would absolutely do another internship.”
Nick highlights Helen’s strengths, describing her as friendly, confident, calm under pressure and highly adaptable. He adds: "Helen has integrated fully into the team, arriving early for shifts, presenting herself professionally and working independently."
This demonstrates how Supported Internships can help employers develop reliable and motivated team members.
The ECL Job Coaches were brilliant from the word go… the whole Supported Internship process was really smooth.
Nick Baxter, Deputy Centre Manager, Sodexo Colchester PFI
The role of job coaches
A key strength of the programme is the support provided by ECL’s Job Coaches. They work closely with both the intern and the employer, ensuring that everyone feels confident and supported.
At Sodexo Colchester PFI, Helen’s job coaches became an integral part of the team. They supported training, provided guidance and ensured that both Helen and her managers had the tools they needed to succeed.
Laura Moorcroft, Regional Support Manager at Sodexo Colchester PFI, explains that this support was essential when launching the programme:
“For me going into the internships was in a way nerve wracking as we’d never done anything like it before but the ECL Job Coaches, Gary, Su and Casey made it very easy for me and for the rest of the Sodexo team. They embedded themselves fully and engaged in everything that we do here which is exactly what I had hoped they would do. It was important to me that they were an extension of the Sodexo team.”
This partnership approach helped the programme run smoothly and ensured a positive experience for everyone involved.
Silvie Snaselova, Supported Internship Lead at Colchester Institute, said:
"Supported Internships give young people with an EHCP the opportunity to gain valuable real work experience while continuing their education at college. Alongside their work placements, interns develop their employability skills, complete relevant vocational learning and continue developing their English and maths skills, while receiving the right level of support.
At Colchester Institute, we work closely with employers to match each intern to a placement that reflects their interests and career goals. We are proud to work in partnership with Sodexo and Essex Cares Ltd (ECL) to ensure each intern receives the right support throughout their journey. Our tutors, the welcoming Sodexo team and the fantastic ECL Job Coaches work together to help each intern build confidence, independence and the skills needed for sustainable employment.
Helen's journey is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when everyone works together. Seeing Helen grow in confidence and now begin her paid role with Sodexo is exactly what Supported Internships are all about. We are incredibly proud of everything she has achieved.
We are excited to continue our partnership with Sodexo and ECL this September, with another group of interns ready to begin their placements. Working together, we are creating life-changing opportunities for young people with SEND while helping employers build confident, inclusive and successful teams."
We're proud to partner with Sodexo and ECL...together, we're creating life-changing opportunities for young people with SEND.
Silvie Snaselova, Supported Internship Lead at Colchester Institute
Looking ahead
Helen’s journey shows what is possible when the right support is in place. Through her Supported Internship, she has not only gained valuable skills and built confidence, she has secured paid employment – making meaningful progress in her hospitality career.
Supported Internships are more than just work placements - they are life-changing opportunities that empower young people with SEND to achieve their potential while helping employers build stronger, more inclusive teams.
