An inspirational young adult with autism, who is about to embark on the biggest journey of his life, was highly commended at the 2024 Rotherham Supported Internship of the Year awards.
Rhys Thomas (24) was nominated for the highly coveted accolade by Rotherham Opportunities College, in recognition of his outstanding achievements since joining its supported internship programme last September.
Rhys currently balances his time at Rotherham Opportunities College to continue to develop independence skills , alongside spending time working at both Gulliver’s Valley Theme Park and Rotherham Council’s busy transport department – a dream job for the passionate bus enthusiast.
As well as enjoying a busy working week, the Kimberworth-based student also dedicates his weekends to volunteering at the South Yorkshire Transport Museum, where he helps visitors during open days and spends time building new features for the museum’s model railway layout. Rhys also finds time to pursue his love of buses by researching timetables and using his knowledge to plan and explore the region and enjoy his newly found independence.
Last year, Rhys became one of the first students at Rotherham Opportunities College to successfully complete independent travel training. The scheme helps young people across Rotherham to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to navigate the public transport network. Before completing the training, Rhys was unable to travel without assistance and often relied upon his parents for lifts.
The experience didn’t just give Rhys a renewed sense of confidence, it also inspired him to enrol on his supported internship. The college’s supported internship programme has been in operation since 2021 and since that time the college has worked collaboratively with a diverse range of local employers, who have helped students to develop the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
For most students, entering one new workplace can be a daunting and challenging experience, but Rhys decided to undertake two very different work placements, balancing his time in the classroom with working as a member of the Gulliver’s Valley customer service team, where he can be found regularly helping visitors, as well as putting his catering skills to good use through his work in the café.
Since joining the council’s active travel team, Rhys has played an active role in helping to improve the travel buddy scheme – an initiative that helps youngsters with disabilities and special educational needs to access public transport. Drawing on his own experiences, Rhys regularly works as an observer, providing feedback to travel buddies and making suggestions to improve the service.
Rhy Thomas said:
“When I started the internships, I felt very worried and anxious, but it’s been one of the best experiences of my life and it has helped me to develop lots of new skills and make some new friends.
I’ve really enjoyed my internships. The work I do at Gulliver’s and Rotherham Council is very different. At Gulliver’s I work in the shop and as part of the catering team, where I’ve learned how to make pizzas, manage orders and help customers. When I work at the council, I help people to learn how to use public transport by helping to work out the best public transport routes to get them to where they want to be.
My favourite part has been helping others to work out the best routes using public transport. I enjoy helping other people, and now my course has ended, I’ve already started applying for jobs, and I can’t wait to find out what the future will bring.
I was really pleased that I was highly commended and after I took part in the awards evening, I went to our end of year to celebrate with my friends!”
Dr Perdita Mousley, Principal, Rotherham Opportunities College, said:
“Rhys is a self-motivated, driven young man who has overcome self-doubt and fear to become an excellent role model and an inspiration to our students. As he nears the end of his supported internship experiences, Rhys stands ready to begin a new chapter in his life, enriched with confidence, transferable skills and an unwavering optimism for the future.
Entering any workplace for the very first time can be an incredibly daunting experience, but Rhys has risen to the challenges he has been presented, often going above and beyond the call of duty. He is hard-working, kind and considerate and pays great attention to detail – these qualities have helped Rhys to improve the way that travel services are delivered to SEND youngsters across the borough, and I’m certain his work is already making a significant impression on the lives of many young people living in the area.
Rhys is a reserved young man who has become an excellent role model and inspiration to our other students – they are all rooting for him! I’m incredibly proud of his achievements. “
Rotherham Opportunities College is an independent specialist college that supports young adults who have learning disabilities and/or autism. The college provides tailored education programmes, which take a holistic approach towards understanding the individual needs of each student, helping them to develop the vital skills needed to live independently, secure employment and build rich and fulfilling lives during adulthood.