Recovery Internship Program

Pathway to Recoveryfrom Mental Illness

http://www.homestoheal.com/

Vancouver, BC, CanadaJanuary, 2014

Dr. Otto ToewsAll rights reserved, 2013

Challenge

• Address post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Stressful situations - soldiers returning home- addiction - poverty- chronic illness

• Result – loss of career and self-esteem

To learn more about the effects of PTSD, read the stories in slides 3 & 4.2

Helping soldiers transition from combat to civilian lifeWhen Tim Laidler came back to Vancouver, Canada after serving eight months

in Afghanistan in 2010, he felt numb .... “I definitely picked up some baggage over there,” he said. “There were things I saw that were pretty horrific and they definitely came home with me… and they were having an impact on my life.”

That baggage included seeing a young girl setting herself on fire and almost shooting a young boy he thought was a Taliban militant.

It wasn’t just the traumatic feelings that he bottled up, it was also positive emotions that he had trouble dealing with.

To read Tim’s story, go to http://www.homestoheal.com/

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Civilian: My Crohn disease has recurred!

‘I was in shock ... I couldn’t believe what I had just heard ... my Crohn’s disease has recurred! How am I going to tell my wife?’

That’s how my third round of dealing with Crohn’s disease started just as I was preparing for another career change in my mid-forties by returning to College for the third time. How could I maintain my schedule of classes and homework with the constant risk of a leaky colostomy (IT)? (To read this story, go to http://www.homestoheal.com/.

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Here is the problem

PROBLEM - Having an income to buy decent food and maintain a safe place to live is a priority for people who experience mental illness, yet they ...

suffer the highest level of unemployment of any group with disabilities.

RESULT – loss of faith in themselves 5

Solution

• Homes to Heal- a place to call home- therapy

• Work that Heals- purposeful employment

“A job is so much more than just a paycheck. It gives us purpose, dignity and the foundation to build a future.” Cathy McMorris Rodgers 6

Pathway to Recovery Work that Heals

• Discover the client’s dream- Don’t settle for ‘I can’t ...’

• Support the necessary training- specific or general

• Provide mentors for transition to work• Try and try again till everyone has the

COURAGE TO COME BACK!7

Purpose of the Recovery Internship Program

• To provide training and skill development• To prepare for a career in Logistics• To enhance recovery from mental illness

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General Training: Logistics

LOGISTICS ESSENTIALS SERIES(Offered online by the Logistics Institute)

Module 1100: LogisticsModule 1200: Warehousing & DistributionModule 1300: Traffic & TransportationModule 1400: Purchasing & ProcurementModule 1500: Inventory Management

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RIP Program (3 months online)

• *LOGISTICS ESSENTIALS SERIES The foundation of Logistics http://www.loginstitute.ca/workshops.html

• Writing – English 2020

Think and you Write and

Write as you Thinkwww.sponsoravillage.ca

• Math – Kahn Academy A free world-class education for anyone anywhere

www.kahnacademy.org

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RIP Time Line

Courses: 3 months Internship: 3 months Start career: 6 months

Logistics course - LOGISTICS ESSENTIALS SERIES

Writing - English 2020

Mathematics - Kahn Academy

Mentor Coordinator

Mentors

Corporate Sponsor

Logistics careers

Create network for future employment

Mentor Coordinator

Mentors

Prepare a resume

Apply for jobs

Interview for jobs

Hired!

Mentor Coordinator

Mentors 11

• Engage internee for 3 months

• Create an internship experience

• Focus on Logistics

• Pay the Logistics course fee - $625.00

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Corporate Internship Partnerships

Requirement: Technology

• Laptop/tablet

• Internet access

• Appropriate software

• Training as needed

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Requirement: Staff

• Program Coordinator – 1 full time• Internship coordinator – 1 full time• Mentors - four part time mentors• Tech support – 1 full time• Clerical – half time

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IMPLEMENTATION• Phase 1: Planning and recruiting

- recruit staff- plan implementation- invite corporations- recruit clients- develop a budget

• Phase 2: Implementing the Program

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Outcomes

Internship clients successfully employed

• Part time/full time employment within 6 months

• Sustainable employment

• RIP Employ 6 grads – half time

CELEBRATE SUCCESS!

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Outcome

Internship clients not successfully employed

These clients need temporary alternative work opportunities. • Limited Self employment

- Some clients may have specific skills/talents to produce products which could be sold (e.g., knitting, woodwork, painting). The revenue could be split between rent payments and personal spending money.

• Domestic/maintenance work- If this is volunteer work, it should be treated as work. Specific tasks to be done at specific times should be scheduled. Their hours of work should be recorded at minimum wages so that their labour is acknowledged even if they do not get paid. 17

Assessment

• Client performance in the program• Corporate sponsors evaluate the internship• Self evaluation of the internship experience• Third party interviews

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Pathway to Recovery

Often, the best therapy is a job.

Employment empowers people to• Take back their power• Know their strength

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