Transcript Addressing the barriers to employment Maximising the role of Recovery Colleges JAMES KEMPTON ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL POLICY, CENTREFORUM [email protected].

Addressing the barriers to
employment
Maximising the role of Recovery Colleges
JAMES KEMPTON
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL POLICY,
CENTREFORUM
[email protected]
Research
 Understand the barriers to employment for people with mental
health problems
 Consider the role of recovery colleges in addressing these barriers
by:
(i) understanding their objectives in relation to employment;
(ii) identifying what recovery colleges are actually doing;
(iii) assessing their impact on employment outcomes; and
(iv) considering if there is more recovery colleges could do.
“UK employment rate hits highest level since records
began”
 28% of people of working age do not have jobs.
 6% are economically active (ie available and actively searching for
work).
 22% are economically inactive (ie not available or do not want to
work eg students, house wives/husbands).
 However 1in 4 people (rising) are economically inactive due to ill health
 For people with common mental disorders (depression or anxiety), 64%
are unemployed.
 For people with severe mental illnesses (psychosis, schizophrenia), 95%
are unemployed.
The impact of unemployment is profound
For individuals
 Achieving economic resources.
 Mental and physical health and For society
wellbeing.
 Long term unemployment is very
 Recovery.
costly to society.
 Social contacts and support.
 Mental health problems cost the
UK economy £26 billion annually.
 Structure to day and purpose in
life.
 Employment is a major driver of
the social gradients of physical
 Develop skills.
and mental health mortality.
 Social status.
Recovery colleges: an educational approach
R Perkins, J Repper, M Rinaldi and H Brown, ‘Recovery Colleges’, Centre for Mental Health and Mental
Health Network NHS Confederation, 2012
A therapeutic approach
Focuses on problems, deficits and dysfunctions
An educational approach
Helps people recognise and make use of their
talents and resources
Strays beyond formal therapy sessions and
becomes the over-arching paradigm
Transforms all activities into therapies –work
therapy, gardening therapy etc
Problems are defined, and the type of therapy is
chosen, by the professional ‘expert’
Maintains the power imbalances and reinforces the
belief that all expertise lies with the professionals
Assists people in exploring their possibilities and
developing their skills
Supports people to achieve their goals and
ambitions
Staff become coaches who help people find their
own solutions
Students choose their own courses, work out ways
of making sense of (and finding meaning in) what
has happened and become experts in managing
their own lives.
Coverage
 In England, there are approximately 28
recovery colleges and many more in
development.
 There are also recovery colleges in
Europe, Canada, New Zealand and the
United States
Recovery
Hope
• Introduction to recovery
• Understanding
diagnosis courses
• Mindfulness
• Meditation
• Effective
communication
Control
• Telling your story
• Taking back control
• Living beyond an
illness
• Spirituality
Opport
unity
• Returning to work
or study
• Five ways to
wellbeing
• Problem solving
• Learning to be
assertive
• Future focus
Courses relating to employment
Number of courses offerred across 9 recovery colleges
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Work readiness
Education
Skills
Employability
Course theme
Discrimination
Access
Sustainability
Case study – South West London & St George’s
Recovery College
Date opened
September 2010
Mission statement
The Recovery College uses a recovery based approach to help people recognise and
develop their personal resourcefulness in order to become experts in their own selfcare, make informed choices about the assistance they need to do this, and do the
things they want to do in life.
Commissioning body Clinical commissioning group
Students
1057
User profile (age, sex, Average age = 42.7 Female = 56%, male 44%
ethnicity, disability
69% = White British 44% = schizophrenia
etc)
Number of staff
Training background
Number of courses
8 (4 professionals/4 peers)
Occupational therapy, nurses, psychologist, social worker. All must take Preparing to
Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS)
51
Case study – South West London & St George’s
Recovery College
What are the
course themes?
How many are
delivered that
relate to
employment?
DNA
Are any courses
accredited?
Has an evaluation
been conducted?





2
Understanding mental health problems and their treatment.
Rebuilding your life – the road to recovery.
Developing knowledge and life skills.
Educational courses.
Getting involved with the Recovery College.
38%
No
Yes
Recommendations
 Courses should
be relevant and accessible to students at different
stages of their recovery journey.
 Education and employment outcomes (achieved or progression
towards) should be written into any recovery intervention.
Recovery Colleges should offer signposting and progression routes
to other education and employment focused interventions eg
volunteering, IPS, FE college, HE.
 Recovery colleges should publish annual performance/impact data.
 There should be a national evaluation of the recovery college
model.
 Both national and institutional level evaluations should review
education and employment outcomes.