Finding employment for people with severe mental health difficulties
If you are looking for support for a child or young person, please visit our dedicated Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services pages.
Employment rates for people with severe mental illness are unacceptably low.
While 90% of this group of people want to work, only 8% are holding down employment.
Individual Placement and Support (IPS) helps to address this imbalance by supporting people with complex mental health illnesses into employment.
Research suggests that IPS clients are twice as likely to gain employment as those in vocational training and sheltered work are.
We work in partnership with mental health professionals to build support tailored to the service user's needs, based on their job preferences and ambitions.
After a rapid job search, they'll be supported to apply for paid employment and we’ll give them (and their employer, if applicable) timely support to address any barriers and find solutions.
We give them:
- Free individual support
- Job search guidance
- Successful interview techniques
- Support to apply for paid employment
- Regular confidential reviews
- Advice on writing effective CVs, covering letters and applications
- Advice on employment-related benefits
- Advice on creating a positive mental health disclosure statement for use during interviews and applications
We believe everyone who wants to find paid work can do so. If you want to find paid employment, are committed to achieving your goals and are engaged in mental health services, we can work with you.
Let’s land you that job!
How do I access Individual Placement and Support?
The IPS service is open to service users currently receiving care from NAViGO.
Ask your care coordinator if IPS would be a suitable service for your needs. If it is, they can refer you to us.
There’s no direct access to IPS as referrals come from your care coordinator.
But if you would like to ask for more details about what we do, you can call us on (01472) 806800. We’re in the office between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
There’s no direct access to IPS as referrals come from your care coordinator.
But to find out more details about IPS and how we can help you, email lisa.heys1@nhs.net
If you’re in a mental health crisis and need urgent help, call the Single Point of Access on (01472) 256256 and select option 3. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Alternatively, you can call NHS 111 free from a landline or mobile phone.
"I felt fully supported and listened to. Lots of ideas were put forward to me – I’m now confidently working but I know the support is still there if I need it."
“I had worked hard to get my qualifications and was doing the job that I wanted, but it didn’t last long because my mental health began to affect my work and I gave up my job. I was at the lowest point in my life and felt that I would never be employed again until I was referred to the IPS team. They gave me hope and the confidence and skills that I needed to begin applying for work. I am now employed and my employment advisor supports me to deal with any issues I have. I cannot thank her enough.”
"My IPS advisor has been a Guardian Angel to me. I can honestly say without her patience I would definitely have been in a darker place. She has gone above and beyond to support me and I cannot thank her enough. I have been so lucky to have her by my side every step of the way."