The Road Back to Mental Health
Experts increasingly acknowledge that work is a key factor in supporting mental wellness and warding off its reverse -- mental illness. Employment provides five factors that promote mental well-being:
- Time structure
- Social contact and affiliation
- Collective effort and purpose
- Social and personal identity
- Regular activity
So for those who have suffered from such illnesses, meaningful employment is an essential part of the recovery process.
Employment Services involve:
- Job search
- Career exploration
- Resume / cover letter development
- Mock Interviews to improve skills
- Assistance with the hidden job market
- Job Development – Networking with potential employers
- Job blitzes; supporting clients during ‘in-person’ and ‘cold call’ applications
- Connect clients to education and training programs
- Advocacy with employers when necessary
Program Objectives:
*Client Focus:
- Establish a client-centered flexible service that addresses the needs of young, job ready individuals recovering from Psychosis
- Increase the competitive employability of this population
- Reduce dependence on government support payments
- Encourage and motivate self-sufficiency, productivity and independence
- Achieve realistic vocational objectives
- Enhance ability to maintain employment
*Employer Focus / Incentive:
- Provide training, work supports and incentives such as job coaching and work trials. Placements geared to slow and gradual integration, permitting the client to become skilled while not impeding on the organization’s productivity expectations
- Simplify and facilitate placement opportunities
- Address discrimination and reduce the perceived risk in employing PEPP clients
- Reinforce the community benefits of a diversified work force
Employment Counselling is:
- Forward – Looking
- Challenging
- All about YOU
Employment Counselling is not:
- Therapy
- A quick fix
- Without hard work
My role is to:
- Listen to you
- Question your assumptions
- Motivate you
- Challenge you
- Point out opportunities
- Brainstorm with you
- Plan with you
- Guide you
- Keep you on track
- Share my advice
- Point you towards resources
My role is not to:
- Pester or nag you
- Do the work for you
- Make you feel guilty
- Upset you into action
- Bribe you
- Lie to you
- Blame you
- Tell you you’re wrong
- Make excuses for you
- Tell you what to do
- Argue with you
Your role is to:
- Be honest
- Do your homework
- Be willing to think differently
- Follow through
- Take it one step at a time
- Keep a positive attitude
- Keep an open mind
Your role is not to:
- Relax and let others do the work
- Expect miracles
- Expect perfection
- Get disappointed early on
- Hide your feelings
- Fake your results
- Make huge decisions overnight
- Tell me what you think I want to hear
