IPS job coaching

Who are the instructions for?

This is a guideline for IPS job coaches and team leaders on the IPS job coaching method.

In IPS job coaching you support the customer in finding employment in the open labour market

IPS job coaching is a service aimed at people with severe mental health disorders, in which an IPS employment specialist supports the client in finding employment in the open labour market and staying in work. The service is integrated into the client's psychiatric care and rehabilitation.

There are no diagnostic or functional criteria for applying for the IPS service, but the starting point for participating in the service is the client's own desire to find employment.

IPS job coaching is also suitable for many other client groups, in which case it is correspondingly integrated into the client's main service (for example, social services for adult social work clients).

As part of a care team

As an IPS employment specialist, you will work as part of a multidisciplinary care team. Working as an integral part of the care team is central to the effectiveness of the IPS model. An IPS client always has a valid treatment relationship with psychiatric care and rehabilitation. This ensures a sufficient flow of information between the client, the IPS employment specialist and the care provider regarding the client's well-being, among other things. At the same time, the care staff is provided with an understanding of the significance of work in rehabilitation.

IPS team

In addition to the care team, you will be part of the IPS team, which brings together your organization's IPS employment specialists and an IPS team leader. If you work as an IPS team leader, your tasks include, in addition to your own coaching work, supporting IPS employment specialists in following the IPS method and ensuring and developing the smoothness of client guidance, network cooperation, employer cooperation and other processes.

Recovery orientation framework

The IPS model can be examined in the framework of recovery orientation. The client's rehabilitation is seen to progress significantly when they participate in society as a full-fledged active member through work that suits their own life situation. The work can be adapted to the client’s needs and wishes.

The 8 principles of the IPS model

The aim of the service is to find employment in the open labour market.
The service is open to all clients whose personal goal is to find employment in competitive employment (jobs that anyone can apply for).
The service is integrated into psychiatric care and rehabilitation.
The service is voluntary, and the job search starts according to the client’s own wishes, needs and goals.
The service ensures that guidance and advice related to financial support and benefits are available.
The service is based on a rapid job search in the open labour market without prior work ability assessments or, for example, internships or work trials.
The service engages in close employer cooperation both in the client’s job search and to increase awareness of the IPS service.
The service is individual and unlimited in duration and continues for as long as the client needs it.

The principles have been used to derive a 25-item fidelity scale according to which the IPS model is implemented. You will find the IPS fidelity scale in English in the web library of the IPS Employment Center (USA). Please type in the library's search field: IPS fidelity scale - English.
IPS Employment Center, Library

IPS method training

Watch the recordings of the 8-part IPS job coaching method training.
IPS-menetelmäkoulutus (YouTube) (in Finnish).

The 5 stages of IPS job coaching

IPS job coaching consists of five stages. As an IPS employment specialist, you will work with the client at all stages.

You document the core events of the coaching process on IPS client work forms, which you can find on the Data entry tab. Using IPS client work forms is an important part of IPS job coaching - the systematic use of the forms creates a framework for the coaching process.
Data entry

Stages

1

Applying for the service
- At different stages of treatment, the care staff asks all clients about their employment wishes and tells them about IPS job coaching.
- If the client expresses an interest in employment, you can hold a so-called tripartite discussion involving the client, the primary nurse and the IPS employment specialist.
- When a client wants to start IPS job coaching, a primary nurse or other employee will make a referral to the IPS service. The client has also been able to hear independently about IPS job coaching and contact the IPS team directly.
- Draw up an IPS cooperation agreement with the customer.
- The only criterion for access to the service is the customer's own desire and motivation to find employment. The service does not include official or unofficial exclusion based on advance assessments of the care staff. In addition, the use of intoxicants or neglect of medication, for example, are not grounds for excluding a client from the service.
2

Competence mapping
- In the first meetings, map out the client's strengths, resources, interests and skills, as well as their support needs. Your key tool is the career profile form. An unhurried atmosphere promotes the formation of a trusting relationship. Typically, it takes 2–3 meetings to create the career profile.
- The client will draw up a job search plan and CV with you. Set realistic goals for employment and job search in accordance with the client’s wishes.
- You will also be responsible for ensuring that the client receives information about the impact of employment on financial benefits. You can also request benefit counselling, for example, from a social worker in your wellbeing services county or by contacting the authority responsible for the matter with the client.
3

Rapid job search in the open labour market
- The client looks for interesting jobs with you. You can suggest jobs that may be suitable for the client. You contact the jobs together, by the client or by you.
- The first contact with the workplace is made within one month of starting in the IPS service.
- Some clients do not want the IPS specialist to contact employers. In that case, act as background support, i.e. "behind the scenes". At all stages of the coaching process, talk to the client about the pros and cons of telling about mental health challenges at the workplace.
- Your work includes actively monitoring the local labour market, which means that you will familiarise yourself with the recruitment needs of employers. This means, for example, several weekly contacts and face-to-face meetings with potential employers and marketing the IPS service.
- At the same time, IPS job coaching responds to employers' recruitment needs by providing them with a skilled and motivated workforce. In addition to job vacancies, map out hidden jobs with employers.
4

Working and agreeing on support with the employer
- With your support, the client can negotiate possible adjustments with the employer. The work can be adapted to the client’s needs and resources, for example, in terms of working hours, tasks or environment.
- Support the client as much as the client wants. For example, you can offer to go to a job interview as background support or be present at the workplace on the first day. Support the client in orientation to the employment relationship, learning the job and getting to know the work culture.
5

Support for maintaining the employment relationship
- During the employment relationship, support the client in regular meetings and by calling/messaging. Monitor the client's situation and, if necessary, help solve challenging situations at the workplace. You will work in cooperation with the client's care team, which together with the client is responsible for their treatment and rehabilitation.
- If the client does not want to talk about their IPS client relationship at the workplace, you can support them with meetings outside of work.
- If the employment relationship ends against the client’s wishes, the client will receive support from you in going through the situation and, if necessary, looking for a new job.
- Job coaching continues for as long as the client feels they need it. The aim is to gradually reduce support during the employment relationship.
- According to the Finnish IPS evaluation study, the coaching relationships that ended during the study lasted an average of 6–8 months.