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Employment, learning and skills for people with mental health problems
New policy and practice or parallel universe?
| Date: | Monday 24 November 2008 |
| Venue: | Holiday Inn, Victoria Station Road, Sheffield S4 7YE |
| Ref: | C1735 |
| Fee*: | £198 (includes lunch, tea/coffee.) NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference and course fees |
[Background] [Aims] [Audience] [Programme] [Application Form]
Background
'Our achievement of high and stable employment over
the last decade has been founded on labour market
flexibility, a sound economy, and a balance of rights
and responsibilities. While these remain important,
they are no longer enough. In a global age, the ability
to equip our people with higher and new skills is
increasingly important.'
'Workskills. Unlocking Talent' DWP and DIUS 2008
The government policy paper 'Workskills' lays out the strategy for the creation of an integrated employment and skills service to give people the best chance to get into and get on in work. Public monies to ensure high employment and a skilled workforce will go into the expansion of Apprenticeships and Train to Gain, the creation of a new Adult Advancement and Careers Service and Skills Accounts and the development of collaborative partnerships through Working Neighbourhood Funds, City Strategy and Multi–Area Agreements.
Despite efforts to reduce unemployment over the past few years, it has had little impact on improving employment rates for people with mental health problems, particularly those with severe and enduring mental health problems. It also appears that moving from learning and skills to employment or accessing work-based learning have not always been successful pathways for many people with mental health problems. The lack of join-up in services and practice has meant that people with mental health problems don’t always get the all-round support that they need to get in to work, get on at work and maintain positive mental health.
In theory, an integrated approach to employment and skills should have many benefits for people with mental health problems. It is well known that those in work experience better mental health than those not in work, and it is also known that participation in learning and skills can improve mental health and well-being. Developing skills in work also supports people to remain in work and to get on at work. So can the integrated approach laid out in ‘Workskills’ be made to work for people with mental health problems? Or will it be a ‘parallel universe’ of services that fail to meet people’s needs, leaving them behind in the drive to upskill the workforce.
This conference will look at existing good practice in supporting people with mental health problems into employment, learning and skills, but will also examine the opportunities proposed in ‘Workskills’ and explore how they might be used for the benefit of people with mental health problems.
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Audience
This conference will be beneficial to those working in:
 | Learning and Skills |
| Work-based Learning |
| Employment services |
| Health and Social Care |
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Programme
| 09:45 | Arrival and registration (tea/coffee available) |
| 10:15 | Welcome and introduction to the National Social Inclusion Programme Chair: David Morris, Director of National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) |
| 10:25 | 2020 - Employment and Skills for the future Nick Isles, Managing Director, Corporate Agenda |
| 10:50 | Employment, Learning and Skills opportunities for people with mental health problems
- the current situation Neil Lowther, Assistant Director, Employment, Learning and Skills, NSIP Kathryn James, Development Officer, NIACE/Assistant Director, Employment, Learning and Skills, NSIP |
| 11:15 | Tea/coffee break |
| 11:30 | Workshops (Please indicate your choices on the application form)
1) The Individual Placement and Support model of supporting people with mental health
problems into employment, learning and skills
2) The Supported Employment model – getting people with mental health difficulties into jobs
3) Supporting the transition from further education into work for people with mental health problems
4) Volunteering and training – using Train to Gain to support volunteering opportunities, (cancelled)
5) Social enterprise initiatives for people with mental health difficulties, tbc
6) Direct Payments – supporting access to employment, learning and skills |
| 12:45 | Lunch and exhibition stalls |
| 13:30 | "Workskills - Unlocking Talent". The new integrated employment and skills service Department for Work and Pensions / Learning and Skills Council, tbc |
| 14:00 | Discussion Groups What are the key opportunities and challenges in taking forward the Workskills Agenda for people with mental health problems? |
| 15:15 | Plenary session Questions from the floor to panel of keynote speakers |
| 15:45 | Summing up by the chair |
| 16:00 | Close of conference (tea/coffee available) |
This programme is correct at the time of going to press. The organisers reserve the right to make changes to the published programme in the event of one or more of the advertised speakers being unable to attend. Delegates will have no claim against NIACE in respect of such changes.
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Application Form
(For people not using the online reservation system above.)
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Download Application Form for this event (PDF file) Download Application Form for this event (Word file) Tip: to save ink, don't print the cover page |
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When you have printed out the Application Form, please complete the relevant sections on pages 7 & 8 and post them along with your purchase order (1) and/or cheque to: Gurjit Kaur, NIACE, 20 Princess Road West, Leicester, LE1 6TP or Fax it on 0116 254 8368. Please retain pages numbered 2 -6 for your information. For further information (or if you would like to be sent a paper version of the application form) please contact Gurjit Kaur, Tel: 0116 204 2833, email: gurjit.kaur@niace.org.uk stating your full postal address. (1) Application Forms from individuals must be
accompanied by a Sterling cheque or Banker's draft. Invoices will be raised on
organisations only if a Purchase Order is sent along with the Application Form.
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