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In a previous article, we explained the individual placement and support (IPS) scheme that we have to help people with mental health challenges into work. We've shone a light on our Barnet and Haringey providers of the scheme already, so now it's time to look at how IPS works in Camden, Enfield and Islington boroughs!

Hillside Clubhouse — the IPS provider in Camden and Islington

Hillside Clubhouse is a co-produced mental health charity offering support and community to people wherever they are on their recovery journey. Over 70% of the Hillside Clubhouse team have lived experience of mental ill health. The person-centred approach they take means that they can support clients into employment that works for them. The unique offer of IPS employment support and the Clubhouse community enables clients to improve their wellbeing, upskill and grow in confidence. The Hillside IPS team is pictured above.

The local mental health teams from our Trust in Camden and Islington each has an employment specialist who can refer service users from their service to Hillside Clubhouse. The employment specialist then works with the service user to help them find the ideal job for them. Hillside Clubhouse also accepts self-referrals via their website, but to access IPS, you must be working with a mental health team based in Camden or Islington.

Testimonial from a client of Hillside Clubhouse IPS
A has a diagnosis of depression and schizophrenia and is being care co-ordinated under the Recovery and Rehabilitation team in Islington.He had been out of work for 20 years and had his heart set on being self-employed as an Uber driver. He loves driving and chatting with people, likes the flexibility of the role and knows London well. His short-term goal was to get a license from Transport for London (TfL), to register as a self-employed business, and to learn how to do tax returns. His long-term goal was to swap out his car for a hybrid car, get off benefits and earn enough to pay his bills.

To help him to achieve this, his employment specialist liaised with his GP and psychiatrist to apply for a license with TfL.He was referred to a specialist benefit support service and received training on how to submit self-employment expenses and sell his car and get an electric one.  He has started working as an Uber driver is employing an accountant.The employment specialist really listened to him and went at his pace while doing a lot of background work to make this journey as seamless as possible for A. A told us that he has been waiting for this moment for over 20 years.

Working Well Trust— the IPS provider in Enfield

At Working Well, their mission is to improve the lives of people who experience mental health challenges and/or are neurodivergent through employment. The team there (pictured right) works to support individuals at every step of their mental health recovery and employment journey, providing emotional and practical support regardless of their personal situation.

Someone can be referred to the IPS programme at Working Well if they are looking for paid  employment and are currently engaging with one of our Trust's secondary mental health services in the borough of Enfield. If you'd like to refer a service user in this position, email enfieldIPS@wwtrust.co.uk. There is also the Thrive into Work programe also provided by Working Well. Anyone with a GP in Enfield who experiences mental and/or physical health issues and who would like support getting into paid employment is eligible. To refer via this pathway, you can email thriveenfield@wwtrust.co.uk.

Testimonial from a client of Working Well Trust IPS

"I have absolutely loved working with [Working Well] so far. [It's] helped me gain so much confidence within work and looking for jobs - I feel so much more comfortable in work  knowing that [Working Well] can discuss any reasonable adjustments I need at work with me. It’s so nice being treated like a human by someone […] and being pushed outside of my comfort zone with support.

"Working Well has helped me find a workplace where I'm happy and supported, which  definitely wouldn’t have found by myself. I appreciate that [Working Well] acknowledges my difficulties but still manages to put a positive spin on them all and support me through them so they feel more like a challenge than a disability. [This has helped me] accept my mental health diagnosis as well and now I see it as more of a difficulty that can be worked with than a disability. I feel like I can be myself [at Working Well] and I also feel like I can discuss my problems without feeling judged or uncomfortable."

NLFT's recent IPS workshop: celebrating and developing IPS services

In November, the Trust held a workshop at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to give colleagues, commissioners and employment specialists from our IPS providers the opportunity to discuss how IPS works at NLFT.

The day kicked off with Paul Dorrington, a multi-award winning NHS lead employment specialist and a UK pioneer of the Individual Placement and Support model in the UK, sharing his personal and professional journey. Attendees then took part in several interactive workshops reflecting on collective achievements and how everyone can contribute to the effective promotion, embedding and delivery of evidence-based IPS principles and practice. The day concluded with an impactful recovery stories panel, during which three panellists shared their powerful individual stories and the impact that IPS has had and continues to have on their lives.

Feedback from attendees of the workshop included: “It was truly inspirational and reminded me why I do this work” and “I feel very inspired after the event and really feel that the work of the IPS teams/employment specialists is extremely valuable”.

To read more about the workshop, click here.