Experiences of workers with disabilities receiving supported employment services in Greece

2019 ◽  
pp. 174462951987117
Author(s):  
Anastasia Vlachou ◽  
Olga Roka ◽  
Panayiota Stavroussi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Supported Employment ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Adaptation Period ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Employment Services ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
Job Opportunities

People with disabilities (PwDs) are under-represented in the workforce, especially during times of economic recession. Supported employment is recognized as an effective practice for promoting work inclusion of PwDs, including people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). This study aimed at exploring the experiences of workers with ID or mental health conditions who received supported employment services in Greece. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine workers with ID and five with mental health conditions. The thematic analysis revealed that emotional pressure was experienced by the participants with mental health conditions and those with ID during the job search and the adaptation period, respectively. On-the-job training was available for the participants with ID and assistance in finding suitable job opportunities was given to those with mental health conditions. All participants highlighted the importance of maintaining employment. The findings can inform efforts on developing employment services targeting social and work inclusion for PwDs.

scholarly journals The experiences of people with severe mental health conditions participating in the Occupation Matters Programme: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 620-630
Author(s):  
Alison Newport ◽  
Channine Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
Occupational Therapy Intervention

Introduction The Occupation Matters Programme is an occupational therapy intervention promoting recovery in people with severe mental health conditions, adapted from the Lifestyle Redesign© approach. With the increasing demand for mental health services and the United Kingdom’s current financial position, there is reason to research the Occupation Matters Programme. Method Interpretative phenomenological analysis provided a rich account of the experience of the Occupation Matters Programme, eliciting the service user voice. Four participants participated in semi-structured interviews following session 10 and at the completion of the 20-week programme. Data analysis followed the step-by-step interpretative phenomenological analysis guidelines, enabling themes to be identified that reflected participants’ experiences. Findings Three major themes were revealed: connecting with others; experiencing an opened-up world through a temporary project and finding a place in the world through a changing sense of self. Three participants described a temporary improvement in their mental health at the halfway point, which became more permanent by the completion of the programme. Conclusions This study suggests that the Occupation Matters Programme was influential in the participants’ recovery journeys and provides evidence for Wilcock’s Doing, Being, Belonging and Becoming framework. It encourages occupational therapists to concentrate on occupation-centred practice, occupational integrity and implementing all four aspects of Wilcock’s framework.

Adapting Supported Employment for Emerging Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha L. Ellison ◽  
Vanessa V. Klodnick ◽  
Gary R. Bond ◽  
Izabela M. Krzos ◽  
Susan M. Kaiser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Supported Employment ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
Serious Mental Health Conditions

scholarly journals COVID-19 and Psychosocial Support Services: Experiences of People Living with Enduring Mental Health Conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Honey ◽  
Shifra Waks ◽  
Monique Hines ◽  
Helen Glover ◽  
Nicola Hancock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Service Evaluation ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Support Worker ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Mental Health Conditions

AbstractThis paper uses secondary analysis to understand how COVID-19 shaped people’s experiences with psychosocial support services in Australia. Data are drawn from questionnaires (n = 66) and semi-structured interviews (n = 62), conducted for a national service evaluation, with 121 people living with enduring mental health conditions and using psychosocial support services. Data relating to COVID-19 were inductively coded and analysed using constant comparative analysis. Most people’s experiences included tele-support. While some people described minimal disruption to their support, many reported reduced engagement. People’s wellbeing and engagement were influenced by: their location, living situation and pre-COVID lifestyles; physical health conditions; access to, comfort with, and support worker facilitation of technology; pre-COVID relationships with support workers; and communication from the organisation. The findings can help services prepare for future pandemics, adjust their services for a ‘COVID-normal’ world, and consider how learnings from COVID-19 could be incorporated into a flexible suite of service delivery options.

scholarly journals Community-based rehabilitation programme for adolescents with mental health conditions in Israel: a qualitative study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e032809
Author(s):  
Hila Tuaf ◽  
Hod Orkibi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Rehabilitation Programme ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
Informed Consent Form

IntroductionIn Israel, 12% of adolescents have mental health conditions. Approximately 600 adolescents with mental health conditions are hospitalised each year and about 40% of them return to the hospital and are thus cut-off from their daily lives and peers in the community. In contrast to adults, adolescents with mental health conditions in Israel are not eligible by law for rehabilitation services. Thus, the overarching goal of this qualitative study is to identify best practices for the implementation of community-based psychosocial rehabilitation programme for this population, by examining the first such programme in Israel. Amitim for Youth, which was established in 2018 by the Israel Association of Community Centers in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and the Special Projects Fund of the National Insurance Institute.Methods and analysisQualitative data will be collected through in depth semi-structured interviews and focus groups. To identify themes and patterns in the data, a six-stage reflexive thematic analysis approach will be used. A triangulation procedure will be conducted to strengthen the validity of the findings collected by different methods and from various stakeholders in the programme: the programme’s decision-makers, programme team members, the intended beneficiaries and referring mental health professionals. To insure the trustworthiness of the findings, three strategies will be employed: memo writing, reflexive journaling and member checking.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Human Research in the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences at the University of Haifa (#455–18) and by the Chief Scientist in the Ministry of Education (#10566). All participants will sign an informed consent form and will be guaranteed confidentiality and anonymity. Data collection will be conducted in the next 2 years (2019 to 2020). After data analysis, the findings will be disseminated via publications.

scholarly journals Caregivers’ hopes, expectations and concerns surrounding the employment and future of young people with mental health conditions

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402096076
Author(s):  
Wen Lin Teh ◽  
Kumarasan Roystonn ◽  
Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar ◽  
Chong Min Janrius Goh ◽  
YunJue Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Conditions ◽  
Chinese Ethnicity ◽  
Successful Employment ◽  
Employment Support ◽  
Caregiving Roles

Objective: Informal caregivers are often placed in a better position to understand and advocate for the vocational needs of young persons with mental health conditions. However, their opinions are largely ignored in the planning of vocational outcomes. This qualitative study had two broad aims: to explore (1) the perceptions of caregivers of young adults with mental health conditions on issues of paid employment and (2) their views and expectations of employment support services. Methods: A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Caregivers were 45 years old on average, the majority were women (73%) and were of Chinese ethnicity (53%). Most participants (60%) were parents of the young persons with psychotic disorders (57%), or affective and mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety disorders (43%). Results: Thematic analyses of data revealed three superordinate themes: (1) caregiving roles, (2) caregivers’ expectations and hopes, and (3) barriers to employmentof young persons with mental health conditions. Conclusions and implications for practice: Caregivers strongly believed that employment support services should prioritise and advocate for recovery while securing employment. Local mental health employment support services should incorporate the views and expectations of caregivers of young persons with mental health conditions to foster better coordination between stakeholders, and enhance support for successful employment, reintegration into the community, and ultimately recovery for these individuals.

scholarly journals Program Evaluation of a Community Organization Offering Supported Employment Services for Adults with Autism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valérie Martin ◽  
Marc Lanovaz
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Job Search ◽  
Supported Employment ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Community Organization ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Employment Services ◽  
Mental Health Issues

Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an employment rate well below the general population. One potential solution to address this issue is the implementation of supported employment services. The purpose of our study was to evaluate a Canadian community supported employment program designed for individuals with ASD without an intellectual disability. Method: Thirty-seven individuals with ASD, who were receiving services from a local community agency (Action Main d’Oeuvre) providing supported employment services, participated in the study. The research team monitored the characteristics of the participants, the services rendered, and outcomes measures related to employment.Results: Despite high levels of comorbid mental health issues, our results indicated that 62.1% of individuals obtained paid employment within 12 months. Furthermore, participants with post-secondary education found jobs related to their degree or requiring specialized skills. Maintaining employment was a greater challenge and continuing support may be required. Conclusions: The study suggests that the employment services may have supported the participants in finding a job. However, collaboration is essential to address mental health issues in job seekers with ASD, which appeared to hinder job search and maintenance.

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