Woodlands Meed were delighted to win the Future Talent and Skills Champion Award at the Burgess Hill Business Park Association Business Awards on Thursday night, held at Pangdean Barn.

The Supported Internship Programme launched in September 2026 in partnership with Growing West Sussex and the team have been working hard to settle everyone in to the new programme, based in Burgess Hill town centre.

The current co-hort are a few weeks into their 7-week induction programme before they start their work placement supported by a job coach. The young people also spend 1 day a week in a classroom setting to learn job skills and work on English and Maths if needed. The programme is built to give young people 16 -25 with an EHCP real workplace experience and a route into paid employment.

From September 2027, the programme is expanding its partnership with Building West Sussex, doubling from 10 to 24 places. The hopes are to branch into new sectors, with new employer partners and work experience providers coming on board across Mid Sussex.