Addressing the barriers to employment Maximising the role of Recovery Colleges

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Addressing the barriers to employmentMaximising
the role of Recovery Colleges

• James Kempton
• Associate director of education and social
  policy, centreforum
• james.kempton_at_centreforum.org

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Research

• Understand the barriers to employment for people
  with mental health problems
• Consider the role of recovery colleges in
  addressing these barriers by
• understanding their objectives in relation to
  employment
• identifying what recovery colleges are actually
  doing
• assessing their impact on employment outcomes
  and
• considering if there is more recovery colleges
  could do.

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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.

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The impact of unemployment is profound

• For individuals
• Mental and physical health and wellbeing.
• Recovery.
• Social contacts and support.
• Structure to day and purpose in life.
• Develop skills.
• Social status.
• Achieving economic resources.
• For society
• Long term unemployment is very costly to
  society.
• Mental health problems cost the UK economy 26
  billion annually.
• Employment is a major driver of the social
  gradients of physical and mental health mortality.

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(No Transcript)
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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 An educational approach
Focuses on problems, deficits and dysfunctions Helps people recognise and make use of their talents and resources
Strays beyond formal therapy sessions and becomes the over-arching paradigm Assists people in exploring their possibilities and developing their skills
Transforms all activities into therapies work therapy, gardening therapy etc Supports people to achieve their goals and ambitions
Problems are defined, and the type of therapy is chosen, by the professional expert Staff become coaches who help people find their own solutions
Maintains the power imbalances and reinforces the belief that all expertise lies with the professionals 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.
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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

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Recovery
Opportunity
Hope
Control

• Returning to work or study
• Five ways to wellbeing
• Problem solving
• Learning to be assertive
• Future focus

• Introduction to recovery
• Understanding diagnosis courses
• Mindfulness
• Meditation
• Effective communication

• Telling your story
• Taking back control
• Living beyond an illness
• Spirituality

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Courses relating to employment
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Case study South West London St Georges
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 self-care, 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, ethnicity, disability etc) Average age 42.7 Female 56, male 44 69 White British 44 schizophrenia
Number of staff 8 (4 professionals/4 peers)
Training background Occupational therapy, nurses, psychologist, social worker. All must take Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS)
Number of courses 51
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Case study South West London St Georges
Recovery College
What are the course themes? 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.
How many are delivered that relate to employment? 2
DNA 38
Are any courses accredited? No
Has an evaluation been conducted? Yes
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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.