EMPLOYMENT
GOING PLACES
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any of our clients have been out of work for months , years , or even decades . Despite their skills and experience , employers are often reluctant to take a chance on someone who has , or had , issues with drugs or alcohol . The stereotypes and stigma impact our clients every day , and they are substantial barriers to employment .
At WithYou we run an Individual Placement and Support ( IPS ) programme , which supports people who have challenges with drugs or alcohol into employment . Our employment specialists work directly with employers – finding clients with the right skills , attending meetings , and supporting them to solve any concerns before they become issues . As a result , the employers we work with say they have reduced staff turnover , and that they ’ re seen as fair and respected organisations in the community . In December an OHID report found that more than half of IPS clients successfully obtained employment during a follow-up period of up to 18 months . Four out of five clients
Individual Placement and Support programmes are about more than just a job , says Vicky Lomas – they offer new experiences , new support networks and a transformative way of living
who achieved employment sustained their employment for 13 weeks or more , and there was a clear association between positive alcohol and drug treatment outcomes and successful employment .
These findings match what we see on the ground . When I work with our clients on their career path , I see the rewards they reap from having a job . They tell us they have greater independence , appreciate the steady wage , and enjoy the opportunity to meet new people and have new experiences . All of these benefits also help them to maintain their recovery journey – giving them purpose , and wider support systems .
A client told me recently that getting her job has had a huge impact on her life . ‘ I love it ,’ she said . ‘ I can remember getting the job and feeling so proud . It literally had me standing up taller . I could feel my shoulders back , and my head and my chin up . I could really tell the difference of just how it made me feel the next day .’
It was ‘ that confidence to walk in places and know that you can do these things on your own ’,
she told me . ‘ It started off doing my CV in March . My IPS support worker said , “ We ' ll get your CV done , and then we ' ll get a cover letter sorted out ”. And then it was just one thing after another . It wasn ' t until August that we were preparing for an interview . But that gradual build-up was what I needed – I wouldn ' t have even contemplated going for that job if we hadn ' t gone all around the houses beforehand .’ At the first interview she ’ d been offered the job there and then , ‘ which was phenomenal , but that ' s because my worker had passed his knowledge of me on . He set it all up as well . He ' d been the one to encourage me to do that particular interview . After that , I was going for so many interviews . It might be difficult the first time , but it gets easier the more you practise . I kept going for interviews and now I have a second job as well . If someone is thinking of joining an IPS programme , I ’ d say just 100 per cent go for it . Even if you don ' t end up getting a job through it , you ' ll benefit just from that interaction .
‘ With my worker , it ’ s very much about what ' s best for
‘ I can remember getting the job and feeling so proud . It literally had me standing up taller .’
that person , that individual ,’ she continued . ‘ I can trust him and know that he ' s got my best interests at heart . He would never let me get away with saying I ’ m just a cleaner . I wanted to do other things first , and then in the end , I just needed the job without the pressure of having to think about it too much . I felt I should just get something rather than be looking for the perfect thing that might never happen . So it had a stepping stone kind of feeling to it , rather than being thrown in at the deep end .’
If you ’ re interested in learning more about our IPS programme , you can find out here - https :// www . wearewithyou . org . uk / whatwe-do / drug-and-alcohol-servicesfor-adults / employment-support-ips
Vicky Lomas is national employment lead at WithYou
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