Information for Referrers

How does the WE:THRIVE service work? 

When you refer into the WE:THRIVE service, there is a procedure which is followed. Firstly, the referral is triaged. We are looking to make sure we have all the information we need, as well as checking eligibility to receive the service. If there are any issues at this point, someone from the team will be in contact with you.  

It is possible that the person you are referring may be put onto a waiting list for the service, this is normal and due to demand on the service. This is also why there is a 9 month time frame on this part of the service. The person you are referring will be contacted to let them know whether they are accepted or if they are on a waiting list.  

Once the person you are referring is accepted onto a caseload, they will be allocated to an Employment Support Worker who will make contact with them to arrange a face to face meeting. This meeting will happen within 10 working days (2 weeks) of their being accepted into the service. Where you meet is up to the person you are referring to decide with their Employment Support worker- it could be a cafe, a Local Authority Hub or a Community Mental Health Team/GP office for example. The only place we cannot meet is in a residence. 

At this face to face meeting, the Employment Support Worker will talk with the person you are referring about what types of jobs they want, putting the focus on them and what inspires and motivates them personally. Together, they will discuss this and make long, medium and short term plans to try and get them there. They will also write a CV, if one doesn’t already exist, and discuss what the needs are from this service. We are here to support the person you have referred and to be guided by them to help them achieve a positive outcome, focused on competitive employment. We will also discuss whether or not they wish to disclose to potential employers their mental health and the impacts this could have.  

As a team, the person referred and their Employment Specialist will aim to have made first contact with a prospective employer within 4 weeks of the start date with the service.  

In the first month of interaction with the IPSPC service, the person you referred will meet their Employment Specialist weekly, together they will look for suitable jobs or training, talk about worries they may have- like job interview techniques, and discuss how they are finding the process so far. They will be expected to take the lead on this process, identify and apply for jobs which they are interested in, as well as maintain their CV and workpack. We will be there to help and guide, and we will also be happy to make contact with employers on their behalf (and with their permission) to find the right role for them. 

In the second month of interaction with the IPSPC, they will meet every other week, and at every meeting from that point onwards they and their Employment Specialist will review the CV and update it if they have anything to add since they last met, including reviewing plans and how the job search is progressing.  

At the mid way point, around the end of month 4, the person you have referred and their Employment Specialist will have a more in-depth review of progress so far. What has worked and what hasn't? Does anything need to change to help them obtain paid work?  

From month 4 through 8 they will meet with their Employment Specialist at least once a month.  

In month 9, if the person you referred has been unsuccessful in securing work, their Employment Specialist will go over their CV and other vocational documents which they may have compiled together and review the journey and signpost on to other services if appropriate. Service users can re-refer back into the service as many times as they like, but each time they can only be open to services for 9 months. They will be asked to complete an exit interview, so that we can learn what we can do better to help keep this service relevant and tailored to our service users. 

At any stage of this process, when they are offered employment their Employment Specialist will carry out the “Better Off” calculation to ensure that if they are on benefits, they will not be worse off for accepting a paid position. 

Why refer into the WE:THRIVE service? 

It is proven that working is good for Mental Health by providing  

• a source of income 

• a sense of identity 

• contact and friendship with others 

• a steady routine and structure 

• opportunities to contribute and gain skills. 

Wellbeing Empowerment Through Holistic Recovery & Inclusive Vocational Engagement (WE:THRIVE) is a new approach to help people who have Mental Health difficulties within the Cardiff and Vale area.   

The Service is modelled after Westminster's Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) initiative and is embedded in the Mental Health treatment teams.  

We aim to encourage and support participants with a holistic approach to wellbeing and recovery through access to work based off their strengths, skills and preferences, leading to better Mental Health outcomes. The WE:THRIVE service is for anyone who wants support to obtain competitive, paid work as part of their recovery journey. 

WE:THRIVE is based on the 8 IPS evidence based principles, proven to help improve outcomes in Mental Health. 

What are the eligibility criteria? 

• The first and most important is the person you are referring has to consent to be referred into the service and contacted by us.  

• The person being referred should be work-ready. 

• The person being referred must be allowed to work in the United Kingdom. 

• The person being referred must have a mental health condition which is/has been a barrier to their working life until now. 

• The person being referred must not be on another DWP or Welsh Government employment programme or provision. 

• The person being referred must be of working age. 

• The person being referred must not be receiving employment support, other than from JobCentre Plus, for example (but not limited to): 

  •  Work and Health Programme. 
  •  Individualised Personalised Employment Support. 
  •  Local Services and Regionally based support. 
  •  Employment Advisors in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. 

If you wish to make a referral on behalf of your service user/client, please follow the link below:

Referral on behalf of someone else