Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Employment of people with mental illness: Challenges and solutions
Dublin Core
Title
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Employment of people with mental illness: Challenges and solutions
Employment of people with mental illness: Challenges and solutions
Subject
Employment of people, mental illness, Challenges,solutions
Description
Employment matters to all of us, including people with mental illness (MI). Work gives our life meaning, structure, and a place in society, as well as an income. People with MI want to work, and contributing to the economy and community is important for mental health and inclusion.
In common with many other countries, Australia has range of measures to facilitate employment for people with disability and MI, including the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Job matching, training, wage subsidies, workplace adjustments and in-work supports are also offered. Despite these measures, employment outcomes for people with MI lag behind those with other disabilities as well as the general
population. For those who gain employment, the majority are out of
work again in six months. Some of the reasons for these outcomes are specific to the Australian context while others are more commonly experienced: Australian employment legislation (with a relatively high minimum wage and good conditions) may make some employers wary
of the perceived risk of hiring someone with MI Australia has a lower proportion of people with disability in employment than other OECD countries, in part because of an open competitive employment strategy and the absence of a disability employment quota system, in place in many European countries. Interrupted education and employment history for many people with MI Impaired cognitive and social functioning associated with MI, affecting skills increasingly required for modern workplaces Lack of understanding of MI and workplace adjustments Lack of coordination between employment support agencies and mental health services.
Solutions include: Improving access to employment; social enterprises, such as social firms, provide responsive accessible workplace environments Commitment by employers (including government agencies) to quotas Social procurement from social enterprises for products and services A greater recognition of the importance of vocational rehabilitation to prepare people for the world of work, effective job matching and ongoing employment support is a key step in helping people to get and keep a job. Building the mental health literacy of employers is also critical. WISE Employment has a specialist program, WISE Ways to Work, which focuses on innovation in employment for people with MI. Its team of occupational therapists and vocational coaches assists people with MI to: build vocational awareness, confidence and cognitive and social skills in its evidence based vocational rehabilitation program, Employ Your Mind get exposure to different work environments through work-orientation opportunities transition into responsive employment with employers who have been trained in best practice workplace support. Evaluation of the two-year pilot demonstrated improved cognitive functioning and belief in ability to work, improved job retention as well as increased confidence to provide workplace support by employers. WISE is now replicating WISE Ways to Work in other locations.
In common with many other countries, Australia has range of measures to facilitate employment for people with disability and MI, including the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. Job matching, training, wage subsidies, workplace adjustments and in-work supports are also offered. Despite these measures, employment outcomes for people with MI lag behind those with other disabilities as well as the general
population. For those who gain employment, the majority are out of
work again in six months. Some of the reasons for these outcomes are specific to the Australian context while others are more commonly experienced: Australian employment legislation (with a relatively high minimum wage and good conditions) may make some employers wary
of the perceived risk of hiring someone with MI Australia has a lower proportion of people with disability in employment than other OECD countries, in part because of an open competitive employment strategy and the absence of a disability employment quota system, in place in many European countries. Interrupted education and employment history for many people with MI Impaired cognitive and social functioning associated with MI, affecting skills increasingly required for modern workplaces Lack of understanding of MI and workplace adjustments Lack of coordination between employment support agencies and mental health services.
Solutions include: Improving access to employment; social enterprises, such as social firms, provide responsive accessible workplace environments Commitment by employers (including government agencies) to quotas Social procurement from social enterprises for products and services A greater recognition of the importance of vocational rehabilitation to prepare people for the world of work, effective job matching and ongoing employment support is a key step in helping people to get and keep a job. Building the mental health literacy of employers is also critical. WISE Employment has a specialist program, WISE Ways to Work, which focuses on innovation in employment for people with MI. Its team of occupational therapists and vocational coaches assists people with MI to: build vocational awareness, confidence and cognitive and social skills in its evidence based vocational rehabilitation program, Employ Your Mind get exposure to different work environments through work-orientation opportunities transition into responsive employment with employers who have been trained in best practice workplace support. Evaluation of the two-year pilot demonstrated improved cognitive functioning and belief in ability to work, improved job retention as well as increased confidence to provide workplace support by employers. WISE is now replicating WISE Ways to Work in other locations.
Creator
A.M. Caroline Crosse
Publisher
Elsevier Korea LLC
Date
January 2022
Contributor
Sri Wahyuni
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Files
Citation
A.M. Caroline Crosse, “Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Employment of people with mental illness: Challenges and solutions,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed September 20, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2434.
Employment of people with mental illness: Challenges and solutions,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed September 20, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2434.