The User Employment Service is provided by Southdown Housing Association in partnership with Sussex Partnership Trust.
The User Employment Service supports people who use mental health services in Brighton and Hove who wish to gain and retain voluntary, part time or full time paid employment within Sussex Partnership Trust. The service offers an individually tailored programme working in partnership with the Access and Recovery teams across Brighton and Hove, to support an individual’s recovery journey.
A free service open to all adults who use mental health services in the Brighton & Hove locality and who apply for and/or gain paid employment or volunteering within the Trust.
What does the User Employment Service offer?
We offer a service tailored to an individual’s needs, based on their preferences and choices. Providing one to one support for Service Users who want:
- To gain either paid employment or voluntary work within Sussex Partnership Trust.
- In work retention support once a service user is employed within the Trust.
Here are some of the practical activities we can offer
· Support in the recruitment process if a person wishes to apply for a specific vacancy within Sussex Partnership Trust. This includes application support, discussions over disclosure, interview preparation and support when a person starts work.
· Access to a ‘better off calculation’ to see how earnings may affect your benefits entitlement.
· In work retention support, if a person is experiencing difficulties carrying out their role due to their mental health needs.
· Access to the Vocational Fund
Why work for Sussex Partnership Trust?
Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust values the skills and expertise that individuals with mental health needs can bring to the organisation. The Trust recognises staff that have personal experiences of mental health are in a unique position to understand and support other mental health service users.
Statement from a Sussex Partnership Trust employee who has used the User Employment Service and is line managing a service user.
I had identified with J (service user) that she was very keen and motivated to become involved with voluntary work as part of her recovery and to help her future vocational development /career (J wanted to work in the health service).
We struggled to find suitable work in the voluntary sector and I just knew J would be a fantastic befriender within our service. She was energetic, warm and friendly and very inspirational discussing her own recovery.
Donna really helped us shape out a possible role for J, talked us through the process and she was very supportive and encouraging. She helped me very much in negotiations with HR etc and I am thrilled that J is now in post and starting to meet service users who she will be working with and supporting. We have had excellent feedback on J already and I am confident she will be a real assist to our service.
Contact us:
To contact us or to make a referral:
Email: d.harper@southdownhousing.org or phone 01273 405822