Working Well: Independent Placement and Support in Primary Care Helps Debbie Into Work

• The Growth Company (GC) delivers Working Well: Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (WWIPSPC) across Greater Manchester.
• The programme aims to help adults with physical and/or mental health disabilities into – or back into – sustained employment.
• Find out how it helped Debbie overcome complex barriers and find a job.  

An initiative delivered by the Growth Company is already producing positive results.

Commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Working Well: Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care aims to help Greater Manchester residents with physical or mental health disabilities into sustained employment – or provide them with support to stay in or return to their current job.

The programme follows the “place, train, and maintain” model. This means prioritising flexible one-to-one support for individual participants, from guidance on how to write a CV and apply for jobs to bespoke career advice and follow-up assistance once paid work has been secured or resumed. It also involves direct and ongoing engagement with employers to produce the best possible outcomes.

Debbie is just one of the people who has benefited from this approach.

Debbie’s Route to Working Well

Debbie’s early life was fraught with difficulties.

When she was younger, she made her way through the care system, and more recently, was a survivor of domestic violence. These experiences left Debbie with significant mental health issues, including trauma, anxiety, and depression.

Debbie referred herself to the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care programme after receiving a recommendation from a friend.

During her initial assessment, she told her adviser that she viewed employment as a clear pathway to improving her mental health. She also said that she was hoping to move in with her new partner, who was not working and required additional assistance. In view of this, Debbie stressed the importance of having an income to support the household.

Debbie’s adviser highlighted several potential employers, one of which, SWD Premier Clothing, greatly appealed to her.

The role was local, full time, permanent, and aligned with Debbie’s previous work experience. These criteria were crucial because they would help Debbie achieve her financial goals, allowing her to support her partner.

To this end, the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care team immediately contacted the company.

A New Job

In the second meeting, Debbie completed a “better off calculation” to make sure she was confident about her financial situation and how it might be affected. Satisfied that she was, Debbie’s adviser organised a face-to-face meeting with SWD. She was offered a job on the same day.

The three parties then developed an in-work support plan, which included contact outside of working hours.

Debbie has now been employed for more than a month. She initially found some of the physical elements of the role challenging, but has persisted, nonetheless. She received her first wage packet after two weeks and is delighted that she is earning and has a routine, making new friends along the way.

The positive impact on Debbie’s mental health has also been significant. 

Find Out More and Get In Touch

The Growth Company is an award-winning social enterprise with a mission to generate growth, create jobs, and improve lives. We provide employment services across Greater Manchester, the Liverpool City Region, Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire and Humber.

Get in touch today to find out more.

Working Well: Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) is commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and funded by UK Government. The programme is delivered across Greater Manchester by The Growth Company in partnership with Groundwork and will support up to 1,500 individuals between September 2023 and March 2025.