As part of National Supported Internship Day, we sat down with Kelly to discuss how she developed her career on her supported internship to take the first steps in her career and becoming an MP.
Kelly is a graduate of the Supported Internship programme at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and is supported by Unity Works’ Supported Employment programme, Work Train Greenwich.
Following her year long internship, Kelly successfully secured employment as an MP for the People’s Parliament in Greenwich where she speaks up for people with a learning disability and ensuring everyone has a voice across the borough.
Tell me about what your role is at the moment.
I am an MP for Greenwich East and my priority is My Care and Support.
What do MPs do?
MPs go to cabinet meetings and partnership board meetings. Before the meeting we come up with an agenda on what will happen at the meeting and we do some sort of a presentation. I created a presentation for the ‘Moving On Forum’. We write a report together from when we talk to people.
How did you apply for the MP role?
We started a campaign, and it was called ‘Election Roadshow’. We had to say a statement on why you want to be an MP and they showed videos of some other candidates. Once that is done, everyone had to vote on who should be an MP.
What is your favourite part of being an MP?
I would say helping my colleagues on what we are going to say together as teamwork. One of my favourite experiences was that I went to the Palace of Westminster (see photo to right). I went on a tour of the Houses of Parliament, and we were shown around, and we saw the House of Lords, but not the House of Commons because it was shut for refurbishment. I wanted to see it [Palace of Westminster] because I’ve seen on TV so that was good. We met MP Matthew Pennycook, [Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich] when we were there.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to be an MP or do a similar role?
I would say to them it requires communication, speaking out to other people, helping other people and doing teamwork.
What skills and experience did you learn on the Supported Internship, did they help you in your career/job role?
Communication, not just on phone but also face to face and also my confidence. At start of the supported internship, I was really shy and now as an MP I am confident talking to other people and my fellow MPs. I talk at the partnership board meeting with Royal Borough of Greenwich.
What would you say to someone considering doing a supported internship?
I would say to them it’s fun, it’s hardworking and there may be some ups and downs, but you just have to experience it and you will make great friends whilst doing rotations. I would say the support from the job coaches is really good and the tutor is really good.
How would you sum up your work as an MP?
I would say it has been great.
What would you like to do in future?
I want to work in an office in London in the future. I want a career in admin. I would say the MP job helps me in this goal. I do admin in this job.
As part of this interview, we also spoke to Geraldine Russell, Self-Advocacy Projects Worker at Advocacy in Greenwich, about Kelly’s journey to becoming a MP for the People’s Parliament in Greenwich:
Kelly was elected in June 2023 by the learning disability community in Greenwich to be MP for Greenwich People’s Parliament. Kelly takes her work seriously and works hard to support people with a learning disability in Greenwich. She does this by holding forums and talking about what matters to people. Kelly then goes along to meetings (Partnership board) with the council to tell them what people say to try and affect change. She recently chaired the meeting in November…Kelly has turned out to be a great MP, she is a confident public speaker, and we are very proud of her.
For more information on Advocacy in Greenwich and the People’s Parliament visit: https://advocacyingreenwich.org.uk/