IPS Homelessness Support

The IPS Homelessness employment support programme supports people who are experiencing homelessness to find paid employment. Working alongside the local housing teams in Shropshire and Telford, we help individuals look for work which suits their interests and their lifestyles, regardless of any barriers they may have, including health, criminal convictions, or housing status. We believe that with employment support and a ‘joint working’ approach with housing support, a person’s wellbeing and quality of life can be increased.

The programme is funded by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government and facilitated by the Centre for Homelessness Impact (CHI).

 

What is IPS?

In the 1990s, IPS began in a community mental health centre in the USA to help people with mental health challenges to achieve paid employment.

Previous approaches like skills training and unpaid work operated under the assumption that people with barriers to work were not ready for employment and needed training before entering paid jobs. The IPS method aims to disprove this!

 

Does IPS Support Work?

The IPS method has since been used to inform countless research studies across the globe for effective employment methods to support those with substance use issues, musculoskeletal issues, young people... and now: those experiencing homelessness. IPS is now a nationally proven employment support strategy used in over 20 countries across the world.

 

Who is eligible for support?

Clients referred to us need to be:

• Over 18
• Experiencing homelessness (including temporary/supported accommodation, sofa surfing, rough sleeping, etc).
• Unemployed

 

How do I refer myself / someone I support to you?

Contact brianna.howell@shropshire.gov.uk for more information.