Just a few closing comments from me:
Inclusion While 67% of people between the age of 16 and 65 are employed, only 50% of people with a mid-to-moderate mental illness in this age group are employed and only 23% of people with a severe mental illness in this age group are employed (see: Connecting People with Jobs: Key Issues for Raising Labour Market Participation in Australia - OECD Publication 2017). This is not good enough and we need to improve this situation.
Benefits: Improved physical and mental well-being - Waddell & Burton (2007): Employment has anti-stigmatising effects on people with severe mental illness - McGurk & Mueser (2003); Employment very beneficial for people living with depression and general mental health - van der Noordt (2014); Significant mental health symptom improvement and fewer hospitalisations - Bell et al. (1996), etc etc..
Cautions: Inappropriate work activity can be unduly stressful for some people and may lead to greater un-wellness - Lysaker (2005); Types employment which are demoralising, degrading or ‘noxious’’ are not good for your menatl health- Muntaner (2003); Once employed, ongoing “precarious” (i.e. every insecure) employment can be stressful and negatively effect mental health (Vives 2013).
So...When you look for a job or someone looks for you make sure that it is:
- With the right people
- Doing the right type of work
- For the right number of hours
- In the right work environment
- At the right location for the place of work
Finally once you get a job
- Be prepared for a period of adjustment
- Decrease the things in your life that undermine your work ability
- Continually monitor and manage your work pressure where...
- Work Pressure = (a) What you have to do (divided by) (b) What you can actually do
- So If feeling under too much pressure, negotiate to reduce (a), and/or continue to develop your skills & resilience to increase (b)
