Empowering Change: How The Forward Trust’s IPS Service is Transforming Lives
Our Individual Placement and Support Service (IPS) builds on our extensive experience with programmes such as Restart, Adult Skills, and not in education, employment or training (NEET) contracts. As a leading provider of substance misuse and recovery services within community settings and prisons, we hold a unique position to make a significant impact.
Our IPS service caters to adults aged 18 and above who are actively receiving treatment for substance misuse. We offer personalised support tailored to each individual’s needs, leading to the creation of a vocational profile and action plan. Our approach is grounded in the Wheel of Change, emphasising the importance of effective working relationships, aspiration and hope, a supportive environment, and targeted interventions.
Employers play a crucial role in our success. Unlike other Employment Related Services, we provide comprehensive guidance, support, and assistance to employers, helping them address any challenges that may arise to ensure sustained employment. We also educate employers about the benefits of good work practices. Our job fairs and reverse job fairs have been well-received by both service users and employer partners. Over 90% of our job starts result in sustained employment, underscoring the success of adhering to the Fidelity Model. According to IPS Grow, multiple studies have reviewed the relationship between IPS fidelity and employment outcomes, consistently finding better employment results for services with higher fidelity – a standard exemplified by the work of The Forward Trust.
Integration and collaboration with other professionals, including drug and alcohol workers, are key to our approach. From the induction of new staff, we encourage non-employability staff to discuss positive employment destinations with the service users they support, planting the seeds of success from day one. We also highlight the broader benefits of employment or self-employment, such as improved personal well-being, social connections, and support for recovery.
Role models are central to our philosophy. At the end of their IPS journey, service users can join Forward Connect, where they continue to engage with others who are employed or entrepreneurs through national and local reunions and events.
Case study: Karen’s story
Karen had been struggling with substance misuse for an extended period and was under social services on a child protection plan for her teenage sons. She had endured an abusive relationship and faced mental health challenges. Karen attended Forward’s community substance misuse services for several months before being referred to our IPS. She had not worked for four years and felt she lacked the necessary skills. Together, we worked on building her confidence by reviewing her transferable skills and previous experience. Karen received support in creating a CV and identifying positions that would align with her family life.
With the assistance of IPS, Karen secured a part-time role with a local employer following a trial period. The IPS team helped the employer make reasonable adjustments and provided ongoing mentoring and in-work support. In time, Karen was promoted to a senior role within the same organisation.
The IPS service also collaborated closely with our Adult Skills Team to host an employability workshop. This event was highly successful, with all participants engaging and sharing their experiences. The workshop focused on interview skills and a motivational mindset, featuring interactive group discussions and situational tasks. Feedback from clients was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the day as ‘enjoyable.’
Several clients attended interviews after the event and secured full-time roles, including an apprenticeship and an engineering position.
If you are in the process of commissioning Connect to Work and wish to learn how our expertise in IPS, employment, and skills support can assist service users in active treatment, ex-offenders, and the long-term unemployed, please reach out to us.