Introduction
This young person came into this year’s Post-Internship having taken part in a Supported-Internship for DISC, which gave them an understanding of various creative disciplines - photography, videography, and motion graphics. Their talent for photography, ability to handle hard work and great social skills, meant they were more than able to handle the Post - Internship - a programme for interns who need some extra support to gain employment or further education.
Progress towards work
They started the Post-Internship excited to get stuck into any projects available; their first being a group project where they worked with other interns to create a short documentary about DISC and why it could be the right college for prospective interns and their families.
Their natural photography skills transferred well to videography, which meant they captured a lot of good video clips, but they struggled with the extra equipment needed to properly execute a professional video.
As the project progressed, they gradually built up their creative confidence, which resulted in them being able to express their ideas better and turn those ideas into video footage. Being able to see the quality of the footage they were filming also improved their confidence in their abilities. Other staff members within DISC also recognised the quality of their work, they were given further opportunities to film and edit video; particularly for DISC’s sister organisation - SENDCode.
The complexities of the post-production process were initially daunting, but with expert supervision and hands-on working, sometimes failing, but always being supported, they overcame their fears and have become more proficient. Gradually throughout the year, their editing improved and they learned to use more complex editing software which they can use to create more complex and more professional products for clients.
They also went on a number of external placements including a spell at Dock Ten, the in-house studios at Media City UK. They also worked more with SENDCode producing and editing video. They now have a successful freelance business working 3-4 days each week which enables them to balance their creative work with other commitments.
Social and Emotional Growth
Coming into the Post-Internship their social skills were already well developed. What was important was for them to develop the emotional maturity needed to navigate the creative industry, which was achieved by getting them to model their behaviour on the industry professionals who work at DISC, SENDCode and Digital Advantage, together with the examples and inspiration from a number of guest speakers. This was so successful that the latter stages of the internship were spent mentoring other interns on the best practices! They even conducted a workshop on how to use a professional digital camera.
Behavioural Changes
Before the internship, their main behavioural challenge was their tendency to get angry when technology failed them, or when they struggled to handle the demands of their role. We and they deployed many strategies for emotional regulation that they developed with the help of DISC staff that were both useful in educational and professional settings.
Summary and Conclusions
At the start of the academic year, this intern had great creative skills but was lacking some of the behavioural and emotional regulation needed to make the most of these and get into employment. By the end of the Internship, they had added to their creative skillset, becoming proficient with multiple software applications; but more importantly, they had developed the emotional regulation, self-confidence and behaviour skills that meant they transitioned from a young person with limited opportunities, to a confident young person undertaking numerous paid roles, and developing a successful portfolio career.