The IPS Revolution Changing the Lives of Young People

27/11/2024

Katrina Casaclang is the National Manager of the Orygen Youth IPS Centre of Excellence. She is part of the Employment and Education Partnerships team supporting organisations delivering Individual Placement Support, a vocational recovery model for people experiencing mental ill health. 

A growing number of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) vocational specialists are making a meaningful difference to the lives of young people. Career development practitioners are among those taking up this important role.

IPS vocational specialists support young people experiencing mental ill-health to achieve their work and study goals. They are out and about in the community building networks with a wide range of stakeholders, including employers, educators, young people and their supporters.

Throughout Australia, IPS specialists are fostering a sense of hope, as they focus on a young person’s strengths, abilities and capacity to meet challenges. When career practitioners form part of a holistic support system for young people, we have an incredible opportunity to be a positive influence on their mental health.

Young people want to work, with studies reporting that employment is among the highest priorities for young people recovering from mental ill-health. Importantly, attaining employment is a protective factor against future experiences of mental ill-health. There are many benefits to work and study, including improving quality of life and financial position, increasing confidence and skills, building social connections, and providing routine, purpose and fulfilment.

Since 2005, Orygen has been delivering vocational support and career development through a range of research trials and programs, all designed to help young people with mental ill-health achieve their work and study goals. 

Individual Placement and Support – An Evidence-Based Model

A key component of Orygen’s work in this area has been developing the American-founded IPS model of supported employment within an Australian and youth-focused context. Orygen introduced the program into Australian youth mental health settings through a small research pilot, which led to its expansion. 

IPS is now being delivered across metropolitan and regional Australia. It is being offered through both government funded and independent community mental health support services where co-located vocational specialists and mental health teams work collaboratively.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the role is working together as part of a complete team for the benefit of all our young people.” – Daniel, IPS vocational specialist

The expansion of the IPS model is bringing a growing evidence base for its efficacy in providing tailored support to young people with mental ill-health to gain and maintain competitive employment. Of the various supported employment models delivered throughout the world, IPS is:

  • the most effective in assisting people experiencing mental ill-health into work; and
  • the most evidence-based model, with the number of studies showing its effectiveness continuing to grow (in 28 randomised controlled trials, IPS showed an average competitive employment rate of 55 per cent compared to 25 per cent of controls).

Eight Key Principles to Success

The IPS approach uses key ingredients for success – the model’s eight core principles:

  1. Competitive employment – IPS aims to place people with mental ill-health in regular jobs in the open employment market
  2. Zero exclusion – IPS provides individualised support to any person with mental ill-health who wants to work, regardless of circumstances
  3. Integrated services – IPS integrates vocational specialists into mental health teams that work collaboratively to help support participants into work or study
  4. Participant preferences – IPS supports participants to find work or study that aligns to their individual preferences and choices
  5. Work incentives planning – work incentives planning is included so a participant can understand the impact of work on their government benefits
  6. Rapid job search – the work and study search starts rapidly. Engagement with employers or education providers should start within 30 days of a person accessing IPS
  7. Systematic job development – IPS vocational specialists develop relationships with employers and education providers to create opportunities that match a participant’s preferences
  8. Time-unlimited and individualised support – support continues for as long as the participant wants it and it’s their choice if, and when, they no longer want or need support

The more closely this ‘recipe’ of key ingredients is followed, the more young people are placed into competitive employment or education.  

IPS Vocational Specialists 

IPS vocational specialists have a varied role supporting young people with their work and study goals, including through:  

  • Career exploration and planning 
  • Setting work and study goals
  • Navigating Centrelink and other services
  • Job search and job development activities
  • Resume development 
  • Interview preparation
  • Exploring and enrolling in study
  • Negotiating on-the-job or study supports 
  • Supporting employers and education providers

IPS vocational specialists are there every step of the way to help young people achieve their vocational goals, guiding them through barriers and hurdles, and providing practical resources, training and solutions.  

Participants of the IPS program can also work in conjunction with a career practitioner to receive more tailored career advice and more and more IPS vocational specialists are career development trained or continue to pursue further training in this area.  

Professional Support for IPS Vocational Specialists 

Orygen has developed a range of IPS-specific learning opportunities designed to strengthen the IPS workforce. Through networking, collaboration and learning together, staff are advancing IPS practice in Australia through development opportunities that include:

  • A professional support program providing access to expert support from an external facilitator to guide and support reflective practice in a confidential setting
  • Opportunities to connect to IPS learning communities internationally, including the United States, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, which bring together IPS trainers, researchers, leaders in mental health and supported employment, and others to exchange ideas and best practice

If you attended the 2024 CDAA Conference, you may have heard from Gina Chinnery and James Whiting at the Orygen session titled Career Development in Youth Mental Health: Using Experience to Support Program Improvement. Check out their presentation slides here.