Supporting People with Health Conditions Into Work: Individual Placement and Support (IPS)

Discover the key IPS principles and best practices for employment specialists

Studies have shown that although 90% of people with severe mental illness want to work, only 8% are actually working. Employment specialists who deliver Individual Placement and Support (IPS) work to change this.

On this course, you will learn how IPS is an effective way of supporting those with mental health and other health problems into paid employment and why it’s important. You will explore the role of the employment specialist, and learn the main IPS principles and best practices to help your clients reach their full potential, and feel supported throughout their employment journey.

This course is designed for both new and experienced employment specialists who wish to support their clients to reach their potential by implementing best practice IPS.

The course is also relevant for clinical teams working with individuals with health conditions, and anyone considering a career supporting people with ill health back into work.

• An Introduction to Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
• What comes first, employment or better mental health?
• What does an Employment Specialist do?
• What difference will I make?
• Integration with the Clinical Team
• What is integration with a clinical team?
• Being the employment champion
• Finding your voice
• Building a relationship with your client to find the ideal job match
• How to build rapport with clients
• How to create and use Employment Profiles
• Identifying strengths, skills and barriers
• Finding the right job match for your client
• Unlocking the right job for your client: Employer Engagement
• Introduction to Employer Engagement
• How do you unlock the job market?
• How to have a positive meeting with employers
• Supporting your client to get a job offer
• How to action plan to get a job
• How to disclose mental health
• How to create a strong CV and prepare for interviews
• Supporting clients to sustain their employment
• Introduction to time unlimited support
• In-work support
• Stepping down support
• What is fidelity, why does it matter, and how do I achieve it?
• The fidelity philosophy
• Fidelity in practice
• Improving fidelity