Hei whai i te mahi tika ma ia tangata - Connecting people with the right job for them
There is a growing awareness within the mental health sector, of the importance of retaining or regaining paid employment for people who experience mental illness as a key factor in sustaining wellness. While seeking work and getting back into the workforce may be stressful, the gains individuals report when succeeding in gaining work far outweigh this.
Supported Employment Services recognize these tensions and are skilled in assisting people through that transition back to work and support them through the early months of adjustment to working life.
Jobconnect is Comcare’s Supported Employment service that provides a full employment search and employment support service to both job seekers and employers if required. For those unsure about career or work choice, information and advice is part of the service as well as assisting people select suitable training options for those wishing to update their skills as part of their employment seeking journey.
Pre-employment Support
Jobconnect asists people to explore their vocational interests and provides opportunity for personal development through individual and group work. The pre-employment service enables people to fully explore the idea of working, and sets them on their way either independently or accompanied to seek work, education or other meaningful day occupantions.
Pre-employment support includes:
- Peer Support to explore study, work and volunteering opportunities
- Peer Support to enable people to discover their potential and move forward
- Working together to plan and implement a course of action
Education and Training Support
Many people move into education as a first step to employment, for a variety of reasons. To update skills, complete education and learn new skills or to adjust to a regular structured day in preparation for working life.
Support will be offered to select and enroll in education that is in line with the person's employment goals or to help clarify their direction. Ongoing support will be proved by peer support groups, study groups, and individual support.
Job Rescue
Support people to continue working during times of unwellness, or negotiate with employers/educators for appropriate time off.
Jobconnect assists people to:
- Identify the most appropriate type of work
- Plan job search direction and activities
- Prepare a CV, application letters and other resources
- Identify jobs, approach employers and advocate to employers
- Prepare for interviews including providing support at interviews
- Consider an employment offer and evaluate contract issues
- Develop a support plan to assist in maintaining long term satisfying employment
Jobconnect works one-to-one with people and an Employment Consultant will be assigned to you. Initially much of the work is done at the Jobconnect offices but as the job search progresses some work is done away from the office such as visiting employers and going to interviews.
When people gain employment, Jobconnect provides ongoing support to the worker and the employer for as long as required, but 6 months is seen as a minimum period to work through the ups and downs of a new job and its attendant lifestyle changes. Together we work out the level of support you may want and how to provide it.
Ongoing support may include:
- Developing a support plan to assist in maintaining long term satisfying employment
- Discussing issues that arise at work and working through solutions
- Practical advice and information
- Meeting with the worker and the employer in the workplace if appropriate
What is Supported Employment?
Jobconnect is a member of the Association of Supported Employment in New Zealand (ASENZ) and incorporates the six key principles of Supported Employment as set out by ASENZ:
- Open Employment with the employment and inclusion of people with disability in the mainstream workforce.
- Wages and Benefits with the provision of the same wages and related conditions of employment that are expected as the norm in any mainstream workplace.
- Placement First with direct access to employment through a job/person match, without prolonged “get ready” for employment activities.
- Inclusiveness with no exclusions of screening from the Supported Employment programme on the basis of perceived “severity” of disability.
- Individualised and Ongoing Support with support services and strategies that are not time bound and are tailored to the person’s needs maximizing job retention.
- Choices and Career Development with services and outcomes based on the preferences and aspirations of the person with a commitment to the ongoing pursuit of careers.
# Link to ASENZ website
Access
Jobconnect is a service for people aged 16-65 with experience of mental illness who live in Canterbury.
An individual can self-refer to Jobconnect. Referrals are also made by Mental Health Case Managers, General Practitioners, NGO workers, friends and family.