Labour rehabilitation for expsychiatric patients and exprisoners Bogaerts

Labour rehabilitation for expsychiatric patients and exprisoners Bogaerts Sanne Poels Eveline Vanoppen Sanne

Motivation p In our country people with psychological problems or/and ex-prisoners have problems to find a job. p We have chosen this action because those groups of people are “problem-groups”, and we think they are really occupational deprived groups. p During our training period we have been faced with this target group. Labour is very important for these people. They want to be activated into the society. p Occupational therapy can help them with the process.

Why is labour so important? • • Time structure Identity Place in society Social contacts Collective aim pursue Labour forces to activity Copingstrategy Self-confidence and selfasteme

ex-psychiatric patients

Facts 70% from the ex-psychiatric patients want to go to work. p Not many of the ex-psychiatric patients have labour participation p 10 % has a paid job. . p

Labour and pyschiatry : an uncomfortable relation Factors lain at person himself • • Lack of experience Lack of appropriated workplaces or labour No more labour rythme Effort with speed of work Concentration Less capacity to select and proces information adequately -> they can’t switch easily from one labourtask to another ->high pressure of workload Influence of medication

Factors lain outside person p Restricted access to employment programmes p Stigma about psychiatric problems p Lack of appropriate jobs

Echo-project p Organisation The E. C. H. O –project has arise from a cooperation between groups of supplies in Flanders What ? Labour- and employmentcontext in Flanders: social employment for riskgroups p When someone runs the risk to get excluded of the labour market he belongs to a riskgroup. A clear demarcation and description of this group is not given in Belgium people with a psychological problem can also be counted to the riskgroup

goal *to help the participants to pick up the social rol of employment in the society. *to work in a normal institution crucial final goal of the project objectives: more targeted to the proces than the final goal

The financial support of the European social fund (set up to simplify the employment and to promote the geografic and profession mobility of the employments)is allocated by the european union to the member states or regions who write out a project jointly. The E. C. H. O-project sets the example.

Within the social employment 4 categories can be distinguished according to the type of traject 1. 2. 3. 4. Learning companies employment companies Protected and social workshops Semi-formal social employment

Proces of the e. c. ho-project v initial interview phase v Oriëntationcourse v labour training v training periods v work accompaniment

Important elements in labourrehabilitationprogram’s 1. 2. 3. 4. Work according to rehabilitation principles Anticipate on specific needs of participants Importance of assessment Importance of cooperation mental health care and world labour

Obstacles • Vision of the society - still remains a problem! • The vision of most people is that psychiatric patients must no longer work.

Further evolution treatment? * use of flexible working hours * adaptation or change of the task description * psycho-education of colleagues and support in difficult communicative situations such as conflicts, workplace adaptations

p Need for study route accompaniment ! Persons with psychotic problems quit their studies because their often hospitalised. They need help to continue their studies. ->schools have to work on this Maybe this is an opportunity for occupational therapists to follow the students in their proces. • Skill training • Functional appraisal • Group sessions • Mental practice -> rolgames • Adaption in studie material Occupational therapist often give rehabilitation programs in psychiatric hospitals. They help them to plan their day and their future, They learn them dailiy and usefull activities such as shopping, cleaning, …. They also give them training in concentration. p In Belgium still al long way to go!

Ex-prisoners

Project for ex-prisoners p VDAB in prison is a Labour rehabilitation programme for ex-prisoners It starts one year before exemption from prisson What after prison? p Training or p Employment or p Unemployed or -> support of the society -> ( Belgium minimum wage)

p • • Conditions in Belgium : They have to speak Appropriately Dutch They have to be motivated No physical, social or psychological limitations (Problem !!) Willing to work in group

Program 1) 2) 3) 4) Assessment Orientation Communicative skills Sollicitation training

Obstacles • • • The system hasn’t been automated yet. Ex-prisoners don’t always follow the directions or ignore them. Difficulties with justice

Role of occupational therapy with exprisoners Help them in prison to : - Plan their day and future Train social skills Search their main skills, help them to find a job that fits to their abilities. In the future? Follow up after prison and help them if there are problems. -

Conclusion The relation with occupational therapy is that we think it is necessary to fit in with the client to find a job that fits. Observation is an important thing. An occupational therapist looks at different views such as client, environment and their occupational behaviour. !

THANK YOU !!!

References p p p p p Van Weeghel, J. , herstel en werkzaamheden : arbeidsrehabilitatie van psychiatrische patiënten, SWP, Utrecht, 1995 Van Audenhove, C. , Van Rompaey, I. , De coster, I. , Lissens, G. , op weg naar werk : werkvoorbereiding in de geestelijke gezondheidszorg, Bohn Stafleu Van Loghum, Houten, 2000 Cuylaerts. L. , B(ege)leide intrede : arbeidsintegratie van ex-gedetineerden : gids voor het HR-Management, Antwerpen, 2004 Verstrepen, S. , arbeidstrajectbegeleiding, eindwerk academiejaar , 20042005 Sneppe, L. , echoproject , 2005 Geboers. J. , De rechtspositie van gedetineerden in een beginselenwet, 1998 Varekamp, I. , e. a , how can you help employees with chronic diseases to stay at work? A review of interventions aimed at job retention and based on an empowerment perspective, int arch occup environ health, 2006, p 87 - 97 Franky van Belleghem, VDAB, Gevangenis Brugge Wouter Raskin, Het heft, arbeidscentrum, Sint-truiden