Mental Health Employment Service
Services available in: Shropshire / Telford & Wrekin
Supporting people with mental health needs to find and retain employment:
90% of people with Mental Health issues say that they want to work
Employment has been recognised as an important part of recovery
Enable can find the right role for you
At Enable, we use a model called Individual Placement and Support (IPS) – research shows that this is the most effective way to support people with mental health issues to find and remain in employment. Enable has been awarded the coveted Quality Mark in recognition of the excellent service we provide.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who do we support?
Are you:
Wanting to find paid work?
Thinking about starting your own business?
In work but struggling?
Off work sick?
Looking to change jobs?
The Enable mental health IPS service is open to anyone receiving support from secondary mental health services.
You are likely to be receiving support from one of the following: MH Nurse, MH Social Worker, MH Support Worker, Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, or Psychiatrist.
How does the IPS service work?
Each mental health team has an Enable Employment Specialist attached to it. The Enable worker works closely with the mental health workers to support clients who want to find work.
An Employment Specialist will arrange a convenient time and place to meet you. This is a relaxed and informal meeting where we start to get to know a bit about you and your hopes for the future. Our aim is to get an in-depth understanding of exactly what type of job would suit you and the barriers that might be in the way of finding this job. From here, we can put together a plan to show how we will overcome these barriers and support you into the right role.
How do I get referred to the IPS service?
All you need to do is to speak to your mental health worker and ask to be referred to Enable or get in touch to find out more.
Will employers be interested in taking on someone who has been out of work for a long time?
We have successfully supported people back into work who have been out of employment for 20+ years and people who have never worked before. As long as you want to work, we can find the right opportunity for you.
The Enable Employment Specialist will spend a lot of time building links with local employers and finding opportunities that would not be advertised – up to 70% of job vacancies are never advertised!
How does this service affect people receiving benefits?
One of the first questions the Enable Employment Specialist will ask you is what benefits you receive. We will then support you to access benefits advice to ensure that you will be better off in work.
Should I tell an employer about my Mental Health?
The question of what to tell an employer and when can be a daunting one. The Enable Employment Specialist will support you to consider the pros and cons of disclosing your Mental Health. This will include deciding what information to share, who to share it with and when to do so.
What if I become too unwell to work?
The support given by Enable is ongoing for as long as it’s needed; it does not end once we have found you work.
Before starting a new job we will look at what you might need to keep you well in work. With your agreement, this plan can also be shared with the employer. The Employment Specialist will continue to meet regularly with you to talk through how things are going. If there are difficulties, Enable will help to work out a solution to overcome them.
If you are already in work, but struggling, we can work with you and your employer to enable you to either return or remain in your job.
To find out more please either speak to your mental health worker or contact us.
“Enable have done so much for me in helping me stay in work, when I’ve been going through a bad patch in my mental health, liaising with my employer on my behalf to help them better understand my condition and find a workable solution for both myself and my employer, enabling me to remain a productive and valued member of staff, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
