Annette,
I work in the UK managing programs that provide work preparation and
supported employment to people with mental health problems. There are
different support needs and different ways of providing support for people
with different impairments.
The Job Coach model developed originally for people with learning difficulty
/ disability and from the success of this expanded to other impairment
groups. Within the programmes that I manage we have found that there are
three main types of support needed for people with mental health problems to
retain employment:
1. Problems with the job
- The specific demands of the work
- Relationships with managers and colleagues
2. Problems outside work that might affect the person's ability to do the
job
- Relationships with family, partners etc
- Financial issues
3. Mental health problems that might influence the person's ability to do
the job
- Fluctuations in mental state
- Difficulties with medication
None of these require on the job training and the support is provided 1:1
before work, after work or in lunch breaks outside of the workplace.
Support over the telephone is also a major form of providing support. If a
person is having a difficulty at anyone moment they can ring and talk
through the issue there and then. We found that providing a job coach only
draws attention to the person and stigmatises them within the workplace with
fellow colleagues etc.
There is an increasing literature of individual's experiences of moving into
and maintaining employment which details the ways in which they cope with
difficulties (Anaya et al, 2001, Leete, 1989). Too little attention is
given to the difficulties people report in returning back to work and I
would recommend that you consider this when planning to provide a service./
he Joseph Rowntree Foundation produced a report on supported employment for
disabled people (2000 or 2001) it would be worth having a look at this as it
presents models of good practice for providing supported employment.
Hope that helps.
Miles
----- Original Message -----
From: "annette french" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2002 9:10 AM
Subject: Job coaching
> Dear All
>
>
>
> There is some dispute in my area (in the UK) of work at the moment about
the benefit of Job Coaching for those seeking work with a physical or
sensory impairment. The organisation that I work for would like to broaden
this service to include all people regardless of their impairment. The
struggle we are having is that the funders do not see that a job coach would
be of any benefit to this client group as they have 'full cognitive
function'. Any views on this? or Has anyone out there benefitted, or feels
they would benefit from the use of a job coach?
>
> Many thanks
>
> Annette
>
>
> It can take only one person to change the world, it just takes the rest of
the world to listen.
>
>
>
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