t the Job
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model be
trialled in substance misuse services. IPS is an
evidence-based model that has been successfully used
to help those supported by mental health services to
access and sustain work.
Based around eight core principles, the model can
be used with people at any stage of recovery who are
motivated to find work. It puts emphasis on a quick
start to job searching and working directly with
employers to create opportunities that match
individual client preferences, while providing ongoing
support to both client and employer to ensure
employment is sustained.
S
ince May 2018, Brighton and Hove has
been one of seven areas testing this model
as part of a trial managed by Public Health
England and funded jointly by the
Department for Work and Pensions and
Department of Health and Social Care via
the cross-government Work and Health Unit. With
more than 1,300
people recruited
nationally so far, it
is already by far
the largest trial of
IPS ever
undertaken in
drug and alcohol
treatment
services. A team of
three employment
specialists joined
our service soon
before the trial
began and have
worked with our
teams of clinical
and recovery staff
in an integrated
model for over a
year now. So what
have we learned?
It takes time
and commitment
to overcome
organisational and
cultural barriers and to build the relationships
necessary to ensure any new service is able to make
an impact. The trial has prompted partnership-wide
discussions about the role of employment in recovery,
challenging us all to consider our assumptions about
when and how to begin these discussions with our
clients. We are now more confident in initiating these
‘It takes time and
commitment to
overcome
organisational
and cultural
barriers and to
build the
relationships
necessary to
ensure any new
service is able to
make an impact.‘
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conversations and, crucially, we’ve learned that the
person best placed to decide if a client is ready for
work is the client themselves.
We’ve also learned that traditional employment
support is not agile enough to respond to the needs of
our client group. While there is abundant evidence
showing employment is associated with improved
treatment outcomes and a range of other personal,
social and economic benefits, for some people
employment represents a risk of relapse. This requires
a joined-up response to ensure the right support is in
place to enable people to safely move towards their
employment goals. People require intensive specialised
support to remain focused and motivated on moving
into employment, and the complexity of people’s lives
can often impact that motivation.
This is an area where the IPS model may need to be
adjusted – enabling clients to pause engagement
when resilience is low will better meet the specific
needs of those using drug and alcohol treatment
services. The learning from the trial will be invaluable
in helping inform future developments within the IPS
model for this client group.
I
n recent years, much has been done to raise
awareness of mental health issues and address
the associated stigma. While the Equality Act
2010 enshrines protection from discrimination
in law within the workplace for people
experiencing mental ill-health, substance
misuse is not one of the act’s ‘protected
characteristics’ and we’ve learned that there is a lot of
prejudice and ignorance about addiction and recovery
in the job market. When working with employers,
we’ve learnt to focus on each individual’s strengths
and abilities and what they can offer.
Thankfully there are amazing employers in our city
who are passionate about their corporate social
responsibility and willing to offer our clients
employment opportunities. One of them is Jason Baker
from digital marketing agency Citrus Ornge Media,
who values the fact that the IPS team ‘are able to
handle all of the more external supportive aspects’
leaving him to focus on the training, skills and personal
development of the people who come to work for him.
In Brighton and Hove, 21 per cent of IPS clients
have gained competitive paid employment in job roles
that they have chosen. Our successes are built on
partnerships and joint working – from the volunteers
and peer mentors who promote the service to our
clinicians and recovery workers who provide recovery
support, and from partners at Jobcentre Plus who
enable us to meet employers and help with benefit
issues to our commissioner who has championed IPS
and brought their expertise to our steering group. We
have learned that success is a team effort.
While it is still early days for this trial, service users
have spoken up this year in our Pavilions annual
service user survey. In the 2016-17 survey, when we
had decided to reduce the full-time ETE post to part-
time, respondents were asked to rate Pavilions
provision in meeting ‘education, training and
employment needs’ and we scored an average of 7.6
out of ten – an honourable score, but one of the
lowest for the service. By contrast, this year ETE
provision was amongst the highest rated, with a 9.4
average score. With more than 150 Pavilions service
users participating in the trial at the time of writing, it
is clear that the IPS trial has had a wider service level
impact than first thought.
Our recovery staff are more comfortable discussing
employment, are better equipped to discuss benefits
and are signposting those eligible for employment
support. I can only hope that the trial will be as
successful as the results of our survey indicate, and
that the government will see fit to invest into
supporting substance users to achieve recovery – this
time from unemployment.
Hélène Begg is city manager for Pavilions
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is
an evidence-based approach to supported
employ ment, originally developed for
people with mental illness. It is based on
eight principles:
1. Every person who wants to work is
eligible for IPS-supported employment.
2. Employment services are integrated
with treatment services.
3. Competitive employment is the goal.
4. Personalised benefits counselling is
provided.
5. The job search starts soon after a
person expresses interest in working.
6. Employment specialists systematically
develop relationships with employers
based upon their client's preferences.
7. Job supports are continuous.
8. Client preferences are honoured.
October 2019 | drinkanddrugsnews | 13