Anyone been under mental health vocational services?

I know I’m UK but I’m interested in anyone who has been under a vocational service really. I had a phone call this morning from a lady saying if I’m still interested in meeting to consider my options and help when it comes to employment, we’re meeting next Tuesday. I asked to be referred when I was very unhappy at my last voluntary placement I’ve left since but haven’t done much, apart from my art courses and studying for my degree.

I’d like to get a job, something small as I’ll be at college two days a week from September as well as my degree. I think my mum will be happy if I get something, I will be happy too. I wouldn’t mind trying training or placements as I’ll be free until September from June 3rd. But I’m not sure exactly what they do, I may just be getting my hopes up.

I’d like to know what sort of help you got when you were under the service (whether you’re in the US or anywhere else) just want to know what’s out there really! I know services vary… But still would like to know experiences, particularly what you discussed at your first appointment?

Thanks for reading , hope you are coping as best as possible,
Take care,
Meg.

I was sort of tapped at my day hospital. It was about 6 or 7 years ago right after I almost exited this life. I adjusted my attitude, I had been clean and sober for a three months or more and med compliant and kept appointments. I guess that made me a good candidate for the program.

On paper, I barely graduated high school. But both my parents are teachers and somehow what ever they tried to teach me in life must have stuck. I did well on the placement test. I needed a little help at times with the english due to my word salad. But the math was easy for me.

Because I had NO real previous job experience and no collage under my belt, and only just started working on staying clean and sober I was told that I would be at the bottom rung of any job I tried for. My options were sort of sparse. Lots of warehouse work, lots of alone jobs, lots of repetitive task work. Janitor of the community centers came up. I grew up in the community centers around here. I knew almost all of them, I’ve swam at every pool in this city when I was young. So that appealed to me. There were 6 of us that got hired by the City.

The only girl I remember got a job doing edit work for the tourist board. She was in a room in the back by herself editing all the mailers, and advertising blurbs and tri-folds. She had some college english and better computer skills so she had a few more doors open to her. Now as she has gotten healthier I heard she got a promotion and is doing more front desk stuff and helping with city event planning. The Cherry blossom parade this year was down to her teams hard work.

So for a few weeks before the jobs posting officially opened, we were all offered classes on how to answer interview questions without drifting off topic, how to submit the resume, how to talk to bosses and how to fill in a time sheet. So there was a lot of basic skill training for me. Like I said, some of the others who already had work experience or a higher education didn’t need all this. But I did.

That very first appointment was lots of talk of having the commitment to do this, then the skill assessment then what options are open to us after the test and what we’re interested in.

The doctor who approached me was a very mellow guy, he didn’t seem pushy one way or the other. So I feel very lucky to be one of the six who got offered that chance.

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Voc Rehab got me a job working the drive thru at a doughnut shop. They called around to see who was hiring and said “BakedBeans, we got you a job working the drive thru window”.

Me- "I can’t do that job
Them- Yes, show up tomorrow at 9 AM

:doughnut:

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