Browse All News

Vocational Support Program changes name to Individual Placement and Support

The Youth Focus Vocational Support Program will change its name to Individual Placement and Support (IPS) as of Wednesday 27 April 2022.

The name change reflects the program’s recently successfully fidelity review, which highlighted that the program has achieved the competencies required to perform as an exemplary IPS program.

Currently, IPS is offered by Youth Focus managed headspace centres in Albany, Geraldton and Midland. This latest development aligns Youth Focus employment and education support offering with the programs offered from its headspace locations.

IPS is an evidence-based model of supported employment designed to support individuals to achieve employment or enter a meaningful education pathway.

IPS is based on the idea that, with the right job match and appropriate and structured in-work support everybody is able to gain and maintain competitive employment. It is set apart from vocational rehabilitation by 8 practice principles and a scientifically validated fidelity scale.

  1. Competitive employment is the primary goal
  2. Integrated with mental health treatment
  3. Zero exclusion
  4. Client Preferences
  5. Benefits counselling
  6. Rapid job search
  7. Systemic job development
  8. Time unlimited support

Ben Johnston, Youth Focus IPS Coordinator said that the Individual Placement and Support Program is a vital addition to Youth Focus’s signature counselling and education services.

“In locations where the IPS program has been implemented and successfully managed, employment outcomes for young people with mental health issues have been as high as 54 per cent, compared to traditional employment methods of 24 per cent”, Mr Johnston says.

“At Youth Focus, we’re aiming to support 60 young people over the next year into employment and education pathways. This wouldn’t be possible without generous program funding from our long-term partner, FGG.”

To find out more about IPS, please visit: https://youthfocus.com.au/what-we-do/individual-placement-support/