The photo features an interesting piece by Chris Smyth, Whitehall Editor in The Times yesterday.
Having worked with vulnerable unemployed people on their journey into sustainable work over the last two decades – via business sponsored programmes I was commissioned to devise and run, The Real Apprentice and Growing Talent – the principle absolutely can work. The practice needs some critical thinking first.
First, there needs to be a few distinctions.
- Mental ill health is different to mental illness
- One size does not fit all – humans are individual, their plan to take back control of their life must be individual too.
- Coaches are different to advisers. A coach builds connection and trust, to enable the individual to identify where they want to be and guide them on the journey – which won’t always be a smooth path
- JCP Advisers already have a huge job to do. Their diary time is tight. I’ve worked with them closely on both my programmes which wouldn’t run without them.
- Just like an employer selecting staff to be mental health ‘first aiders’ – a core of compassion, empathy, strength ID, reassurance, kind straight talking, understanding of emotional intelligence, behavioural impact and effective communication has to be a core part of those helping others – especially vulnerable unemployed people into work.
I absolutely agree 100% that the right work is not only part of someone’s recovery but the key to them taking control of their life to get to where they want to be and flourish.
We all know some work can cause mental ill health which, if left, can develop into burnout, mental illness or death by suicide.
My 20 years’ experience of getting unemployed people into work aged 18-62+ from all backgrounds and varying times of unemployment – some 10 years+, proves to me sending Advisors in to help patients look for work, write cvs, do mock interviews and link them to local employers – is missing a huge, critical pre-step.
Where is the connection, building trust, getting to know them, helping them to break down their fear of working/returning to work, enabling them to conquer their negative mind to stop feeling overwhelmed, to realise the talent they do have within and be able to step into the spotlight to shine?
I challenge anyone to write a cv who has been out of work, lost confidence and doesn’t have any self-worth. You cannot see the talent you have within yourself – let alone put that into a cv!
The Real Apprentice and Growing Talent combined have got well over 900 people into work – WITHOUT A CV.
Some examples – One joined in an entry level role in 2006 in a mailroom role – still there in 2024 having risen to national manager. Another joined an FM company and is now Head of FM for a Council. Joining Growing Talent a few years ago at 62, one worked for two years in a corporate reception role before setting up her yoga retreat business – which is still going strong.
Sustainable change comes from instilling a belief in someone that ‘they can’ and giving them the tools to do it.
What do you think?
Credit to @Smyth_Chris