First Cohort of Project SEARCH Interns Celebrates Milestone Year in Inclusive Workplace Learning Partnership

June 18, 2026

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board is celebrating an important milestone as the inaugural cohort of Project SEARCH interns completed a successful year of hands-on workplace learning with the City of Peterborough.

Launched locally this year through a partnership between PVNC Catholic, the City of Peterborough, and Fleming College’s Muskoka–Kawarthas Employment Services, Project SEARCH is an internationally recognized transition-to-work program that supports young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they develop skills, confidence, and experience for future employment.

“PVNC Catholic is proud to celebrate the successful completion of the inaugural year of Project SEARCH,” said Karen Spenceley, Principal of Special Education at PVNC Catholic. “Over the past school year, this transformative transition-to-work program has provided our students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning across municipal departments, bridging the gap between school and meaningful employment. By combining classroom instruction with real-world experience, our interns have developed essential job skills, built confidence, and demonstrated the power of inclusive education. We are deeply grateful to City mentors, families, and community partners whose support has helped open pathways toward independence and future career success.” 

Over the course of the school year, six PVNC Catholic students participated in a series of rotating internships embedded within City departments. These placements provided meaningful opportunities to learn directly in the workplace while being supported by classroom instruction and dedicated job-site mentors.

Interns gained experience across a wide range of City divisions, including People and Culture, Children’s Services, Environmental Services, Cultural Services, Recreation Services, Communications, the Peterborough Public Library, the Art Gallery of Peterborough, and Riverview Park and Zoo. Peterborough Transit supported the program by providing interns with access to free public transportation.

“Project SEARCH is about creating opportunities for interns to discover their strengths, build confidence, and gain meaningful workplace experience,” said Reem Ali, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisor with the City of Peterborough. “These interns should be extremely proud of what they have achieved throughout the program – their growth has been remarkable to witness. They approached each placement with enthusiasm, courage, and curiosity. The City is proud to have been part of their journey and to support a program that helps create accessible and inclusive pathways to employment.” 

The program’s model—combining structured learning with immersive workplace experience—helped interns build practical job skills, strengthen independence, and grow confidence as they prepared for next steps in their employment journeys.

“We applaud the Project SEARCH participants as they celebrate completion of the program,” said Joanne Spicer, Associate Vice-President of Student Experience at Fleming College. “Together with our community partners, we are committed to building on this success as participants move forward on pathways to long-term employment.” 

As the first group to complete the program locally, these students are helping to lay the foundation for what partners hope will be a long-term, sustainable pathway to inclusive employment opportunities in the region. Their success reflects not only their own commitment and growth, but also the strength of collaboration between education, municipal, and post-secondary partners.