PROJECT SEARCH LAUNCHES YOUNG ADULTS INTO THE WORKPLACE By Coen Lammers Eight young adults with learning disabilities recently graduated from Project Search, an innovative programme by the Canterbury DHB that gives youngsters the opportunity to learn new skills and get work experience. A very proud Logan Moloney was one of the 2020 graduates who had to endure a rollercoaster ride due to COVID-19 lockdown. Logan’s mother Di says she was incredibly grateful to programme lead Linda Leishmann and her team for keeping them connected, “which must have been very challenging with the uncertainty and pressure they were under at Burwood Hospital”, says Di Moloney. Project Search was launched in 2019 to follow the example of a similar successful programme in the United States. Designed to break down barriers to employment for young people with disabilities, the programme sees each intern work across three 10-week placements in areas including IT, administration, kitchen and food services, orderly services, in the physiotherapy, spinal and older persons mental health departments, or in maintenance and stores.
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Logan Moloney says he loved coming to the hospital every day. “I enjoy the classroom time and working with the other Interns and I have made lots of friends,” says Logan who completed placements in the hospital kitchen and more recently in the physiotherapy department. “In the kitchen I cleaned the big dishwasher, heated plates and helped with meals for patients. I put the stores away in store rooms and kept the areas tidy." “In Physiotherapy I worked with Karen. I am happy because I am helping people." “I work in the Gym and the swimming pool area. I set up the Knee class and go to the Spinal Gym to help people. I have my office to do admin and my own in-tray for my work that I do. I love working in Physio,” says Logan. Di Moloney says she first found out about Project Search when visiting a friend in hospital and running into Hayley Butler who was part of the inaugural class of 2019. “Hayley was in the department delivering the clean laundry. Hayley has Down syndrome and
