National Supported Internship Day: Guy makes movie magic

Supported internships nurture new talent, enrich workplaces, and change lives. Friday 27 March is National Supported Internship Day, a time to celebrate how these placements can open minds, and doors, for our employers and candidates.

Creating opportunities through supported internships

In the UK, just 4.6% of people with learning disabilities are in paid work (DHSC, 2025). Team Domenica are here to change this. Since opening in 2016, 76% of our young people have found meaningful employment through our Supported Internship Programme.

A supported internship is an extended, accessible placement in the workplace. Here, candidates develop the confidence, skills and experiences to gain meaningful employment and thrive.

At Team Domenica, we work in close partnership with our employer network, aligning with their business needs and providing the necessary training and support to create success. Our tailored approach also ensures that internships are matched to our candidates’ skills and ambitions. They receive on-the-job training with a Job Coach, whilst developing their skills in our classroom and training enterprises.

A magic movie match

Guy is a massive film buff. From his very first day as a candidate at Team Domenica, he knew he wanted to work in a cinema. And this dream became a reality when, in October 2025, he began his internship with ODEON Brighton.

Our employment team began their partnership with ODEON after meeting them at WiHTL & DiR’s Inclusion Summit the year before. After learning about our model, and initially offering work experience, the team soon felt confident to take the next step and offer a supported internship.

Internships build skills and confidence

Flash forward to today, and Guy interns at ODEON three days a week. He loves working hard and being a part of the team. One of his favourite things to show people is how staff have their favourite movies on their badges – Guy’s is Terrifier 2!In his role at the cinema, Guy completes a variety of tasks. He cleans screens between showings, helps at the Guest Service Point, and supports with deliveries (to name but a few).

His internship is also teaching him how to respond to different or challenging situations. Whether it’s reporting a maintenance issue, running a charity raffle, or guiding guests to new places, Guy is developing the problem-solving skills required for a busy workplace. He says:

My first day at Team Domenica I remember introducing myself and sharing one of my goals: to work in a cinema. Now I come here every week. It makes me proud. I sometimes see the same people every week; they now recognise me and say, ‘Hello Guy!’. I love coming here to work!

Guy, Team Domenica candidate

Guy’s placement has helped him develop confidence, communication skills and workplace routines. He is also completing food safety training and hopes to learn more about food and beverage operations in the future.

A positive impact for the workplace

For the team at ODEON, welcoming a supported intern has been a rewarding experience. For Guy, his colleagues, and the wider local community.

As a guest-facing business, clear communication and a welcoming attitude are essential. Guy’s enthusiasm and friendly personality have made him a valued member of the team. Andrea, his manager, highlights this when she said:

Guy’s been wonderful. You can see he’s grown in confidence since he’s been here and it’s impossible not to smile when you see Guy smiling at you! 

The value that individuals get from work is important. We want our team to be inclusive, supportive and representative of the environment we live in. Hopefully what we’re doing here will benefit other sites too.

Andrea, ODEON Manager