Roles, Facilitators and Challenges of Employment Support Specialists Assisting Young People with Mental Health Condition
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Roles, Facilitators and Challenges of Employment Support Specialists Assisting Young People with Mental Health Conditions Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar1 · Wen Lin Teh1 · Kumarasan Roystonn1 · Janrius Goh1 · Yun Jue Zhang1 · Pratika Satghare1 · Shazana Shahwan1 · Siow Ann Chong1 · Swapna Verma2 · Zhuan Liang Tan3 · Benjamin Tay3 · Yogeswary Maniam2 · Mythily Subramaniam1
© The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Purpose The present study aimed to understand the roles, effective strategies and facilitators, and challenges of employment support specialists (ESS) in assisting young people with mental health conditions (MHCs) gain and sustain employment in Singapore. Methods An interpretative qualitative design using an inductive approach was adopted for this study. Using a semi-structured interview guide, in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty ESS employed with mental health service providers or other community-based centers. Verbatim transcripts of the interviews were thematically analyzed using inductive methods. ESS were broadly classified as “any professionals providing employment-related support to people with MHCs”. Results Majority of the ESS were employed at a tertiary psychiatric institute. Participants included vocational and occupational specialists, case managers and other clinical professionals. Three key themes emerged from the data: (i) descriptions of roles undertaken by the ESS depicting a wide range of services and requisite skillsets; (ii) facilitators that benefit young people with MHCs’ in terms of job placement, for example, ESS’ attitudes and attributes, and their clients’ disposition; and (iii) challenges that deter effective job placements, such as factors pertaining to the ESS themselves, their clients, and clients’ employers. Under this theme, ESS also proposed ways to improve employment opportunities of people with MHCs. Conclusions This study provided insight into a range of tasks performed and challenges faced by ESS in Singapore while assisting their clients. There is a need to address ESS’ challenges and expectations in order to enhance their efficiency and aid reintegration of young people with MHCs into the workforce and the society. Keywords Mental disorders · Employment · Qualitative research · Vocational guidance · Asia
Introduction
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-020-09930-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar [email protected] 1
Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
2
Department of Psychosis, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
3
Sector Strategy Group, National Council of Social Service, 170 Ghim Moh Road #01‑02, Singapore 279621, Singapore
Employment of people with mental health conditions (MHCs) remains a challenge across the world [1], and significantly so in conservative socio-cultural settings where considerable stigma associa
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