Real JOBS NY …Together WE Can!

A Peer Support Model to Improve Employment Outcomes among

People with Psychiatric Disabilities in

New York StateOscar Jimenez, MPH

Director of Community and Economic Development New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services- NYAPRS

Real JOBS NY...Together WE Can

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Social relationships are fundamental in getting jobs, getting better jobs and keeping jobs (Potts, 2005)

Between 40% and 70% of people find their jobs through contact persons in their social networks (Putnam and Feldstein, 2003)

A study found that applicants with internal referral were 10 times more likely to get the job compared to those without such link (Fernandez and Weinberg, 1997)

A classical study of the 70’s found that employers prefer to have trustworthy information about prospective employees (Granovetter, 1974)

Social capital and employment outcomes

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Close relationships (e.g., family, close friends) are linked to better health outcomes and emotional health

Acquaintances or “weak” ties (e.g., friend of a friend) have been shown to be even more important for employment outcomes.Contacts outside of one’s own network allows access to greater

number and diversity of information, resources and job opportunities (Granovetter, 1974).

Networks with high “redundancy” are not very useful for employment (because everyone in the network has access to the same information) (Condeluci, et al, 2008)

The Strength of “Weak” Ties:

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Only few people with disabilities find employment through own social networks : limited (or underutilized) social capital for employment (Parris Granger, 2008).

People with psychiatric disabilities have:Small networks (know few people)Networks with high “redundancy” (most of people

know each other) Few “weak” ties (few contacts that are not part of

their networks)

Social capital among people with psychiatric disabilities

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Human, economic and social capital foremployment outcomes

Social Capital: community organizations,

support networks, relationships/ connections “outside” MH

system,family supports, etc.

Human Capital: interviewing skillsjob competencies,

education, training,

certifications, etc.

Economic/Material Capital:

work incentives, reliable transportation, stable

housing, work attire, etc.

EMPLOYMENT

Adapted from Potts’ definitions of: human, cultural and social capital (Potts, 2005)

HUMAN CAPITAL: Vocational programs are critical in teaching “hard” or “soft” skills; as well as interviewing sills, “appropriate” dressing, etc.

ECONOMIC/MATERIAL CAPITAL: Vocational and other MH programs provide key access to wrap-around economic and material supports (e.g., work incentives, transportation, housing, work attire)

SOCIAL CAPITAL:????

The challenge of mental health and vocational programs: building social

capital

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ARE WE ADDRESSING SOCIAL CAPITAL???

Are we doing any programming to help people with disabilities build and maintain strong social networks? (Condeluci, et al, 2008)

Are we asking employment seekers about their connections (strong or weak ties) in assessment/planning process ? (Parris & Granger, 2008)

Are we helping people served identify strategies to expand their social networks?

The challenge of mental health and vocational programs to build social

capital

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EMOTIONAL SUPPORT:People or communities that can provide emotional & social support to achieve and maintain employment

EMPLOYMENT CONNECTIONS: People or org. can help participant identify

employment opportunities (strong or weak ties)

MATERIAL & PRACTICAL SUPPORT:People or organizations that can provide support in areas such astransportation, childcare, Financial (e.g., work incentives, benefits)

HUMAN CAPITAL BUILDING:

Organizations/people that can help participant gain skills

necessary to achieve/ maintain employment

Real JOBS NY – Building personal networks

Building Social Capital =Improving Employment Outcomes

Social Capital: • :Expanding individuals’ relationships/ connections “outside” MH system: Brigding gap between PWPD and mainstream employers /economy

• Employment: learning about job opportunities and well paying jobs

•Developing support networks towards employment, e.g., peer support

• Employment: supports to maintain a job

Economic/material Capital:•Dispelling myths about work incentives •childcare support •transportation

Human Capital: • Support networks provide opportunity for practicing “soft” skills •Transfer of knowledge and competencies•Increase access to skills building programs and services

EMPLOYMENT

Together WE Can

A Peer Support Model:Building Social Capital to Achieve Employment

Roles of peer support for employment

Narrative change: e.g., from “I can’t” to “I can”; “I’m a loser” to “I can succeed;” “I will never amount to anything;” “I can accomplish my goals”

Emotional : e..g, walking through fears, anxiety, and excitement of applying, starting and maintaining a job

Instrumental/Practical : e.g., applications, childcare, transportation

Information and linkages to employment connections and resources : e.g.,

for benefits advisement, voc rehab, job/volunteering opportunities,

Strengthening and broadening social networks : Facilitating the establishment of new relationships (strong or weak ties) beyond mental health providers and peers to increase opportunities for employment, volunteering, etc.

Components of a peer-based intervention aimed at building social capital

Together WE Can …Stories of Success

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What motivated me was support groups, when I went through that really big depression I was actually in bed for two years ….when I started to get better I started to go to support groups. And going to support groups, I saw other peoples psychiatric disabilities that were working, that were volunteering. And when I saw them, they were my role models and even though I had been out of work for two years they were my inspiration to get me back. They

really got my juices flowing and helped me to look into work and to volunteering. It was going to support groups and seeing other people that were working and volunteering that got me back into the same! (Kurt)

Peer support in narrative change: inspiration….

… I needed someone to help push me a little bit. I was lucky to have that (support) and after time went on I got more use to the idea of working because at first I was really scared and I didn’t know if I could really do a good job, I was worried I wasn’t going to do well, it was a fear of failure type of thing. But after a while I got into it and I was like yeah

I kind of psyched myself up and I got psyched up and that helped me a lot (Kevin).

Peer support in narrative change: changing fear into empowerment

… I get hope from a lot of things but it is it is the help I get from my groups, my therapeutic groups; and I can’t do it alone so I hope that there is somebody that can help me you know, but yeah it takes a lot to regain hope but I do it through therapy and my groups. That’s cool and hopefully somebody will want to follow me and that keeps me in a positive mode, you know, so that’s it! ….(Danny)

Peer networks in building hope and emotional support…

I have a peer who helped me write my resume with me; this peer has been so helpful at different times, never judgmental… but above all being with them through their lowest points and then watching their success has been a source of inspiration,

and then being able to go to them for advice… (Nicole)

Peer networks as instrumental support and inspiration

This is a certificate that I’m very proud to have. It took a lot of work for me to get. I had to use a lot of my supports through my therapy, my group even some of the students that I went to school with. Because I was 40 years old going back to school and everybody was younger than I was. I wasn’t embarrassed, I didn’t feel out of place because those young people know everything about a computer and they helped me …. (Danny)

Peer networks as instrumental support

I have a ten year old son who’s name is Antonio and he’s a special needs child so its very hard for me to get back to work eventually I couldn’t afford to pay the bill’s by staying at home with him so I found a really good friend who decided to watch him and it did it worked out for a year a year and a half she did really well she baby sat

him for me, I was able to get the job (Iliana)

Peer networks as instrumental support