Journeys to work: the perspective of client and employment specialist of “Individual Placement and Support” in action

The purpose of this paper is to provide the personal accounts of the journey back to work from the perspective of both the person entering employment and the Employment Specialist who assisted them.

Two people with mental health problems who received help into employment from an employment service in a London Mental Health Trust were asked to give write their accounts of their journey. The Employment Specialists who assisted them in this journey were also asked to write their accounts.

Reflective accounts – no findings presented.

Much has been written about the effectiveness of Individual Placement and Support evidence-based supported employment, but little has been published about the lived experience of this approach from the perspective of both the person endeavouring to return to work and the employment specialists who support them. This paper presents two such accounts.