3 THE SUMMIT IS IN SIGHT P46 Applications and interviews 6. AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME P70 Staying well in work; changing jobs 5. PEAK PERFORMANCE P65 Your week at work Proviso: To the best of our knowledge all details and facts included trial
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This resource was developed by the Resource Project Officer, Dr Shipway, in conjunction with the National Disability Coordination Officer (NDCO) Program in Tasmania and a Project Advisory Committee. This committee had representation from the University of Tasmania, Tasmanian Polytechnic, Mental Health Council of Tasmania, Advocacy Tasmania, Wise Employment, CRS Australia and Choose Employment. The Project Team like to thank Keith Mahar not only for his foreword but also his considered contributions to the development of the material. Also thanks to Red Jelly for their creative input and support of the resource. This resource was funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations the National Disability Coordination Officer Program. For more information about this resource, please contact: Debbie Hindle National Disability Coordination Officer Southern Tasmania C/- University of Tasmania Private Bag 2, Hobart TAS 7000 Ph: (03) 6226 1796 Mobile: 0419 364 585 Darlene McLennan National Disability Coordination Officer North & North West Tasmania C/- University of Tasmania Locked Bag 1335, Launceston TAS 7250 Ph: (03) 6324 3758 Mobile: 0419 154 368
FOREWORD These days I am employed full-time in community mental health, but I still clearly remember the painful years when I thought that it was impossible for me to work due to episodes of anxiety, depression and psychosis. Consequently, I am delighted that this valuable resource has been produced to assist graduates with a lived experience of mental illness in their transition to employment. ‘Mountain climbing’ is an excellent metaphor for such a resource. The metaphor also resonates with my own personal experience. Shortly after I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I foolishly ignored words of caution and pushed myself far too hard in an unrealistic attempt to rapidly reclaim elements of my life. It was equivalent to trying to sprint up the steepest side of a mountain. Not surprisingly, I experienced psychosis, lost my grip on the and tumbled all the way down to the bottom. Learning to maintain one’s mental health – to climb the mountain – is not a task that can be mastered overnight. It is a time-consuming process requiring the acquisition of insight, skills, knowledge and the right equipment. It’s also wise to assemble a good team. First and foremost, it is essential to remember that safety is always the top priority in such pursuits, and that it is possible to choose a different path at any time to reach a summit, or to change the destination altogether. If you have a lived experience of mental illness and are searching for employment, one issue for careful consideration is disclosure. My own policy of disclosing to employers has served me extremely well, but there is no universal recipe available in this complex area. Accordingly, material has been included in this resource to help you determine what course of action is best suited to your individual circumstances. In any event, congratulations on completing your studies. I hope that your transition to employment is a rewarding process; one which ultimately leads to a fulfilling career. The view is worth all the effort. Keith Mahar ACE National Network Inc. Ambassador and founder of
We certainly think you do! Work Mountain is looming up but you may need to think carefully about how you want to attempt the If you charge straight up without a strategy you could get sick or get stuck halfway up. If possible, you really need to avoid taking the wrong track and wasting your valuable mental resources in having to go back down and start again. An American study showed recently that only 32 per cent of young adults with a severe mental illness continue on to tertiary studies compared to 51 per cent of young adults without lived experience of mental illness.1 You haven’t just continued your studies, you’ve completed them. The resilience and perseverance that you’ve already demonstrated will stand you in good stead as you transition from study to work. Even so, you might benefit from some assistance getting through this tricky process. You have heard the term ‘transitioning’ in your reading on mental health. When you first got sick, you and your support network can be said to have transitioned into a new kind of life. All of a sudden you had some new things to about, you might have started to think a bit differently about yourself and felt pressure to change some of your expectations. Getting medical support was, and is, one aspect of this transition. The transition from study to work provides another opportunity for you to embark on another key life journey. Transitioning into the mental health system may have given you a chance to and grow. So does the shift into employment, with the added bonus that you’ll have a new chance to earn a graduate wage or salary after all your study. This resource is designed to give you some of the equipment you might need to make a smooth transition into work. It’s also designed to help you get through the first week of work and to stay employed once you find a job.
if you’ve been temporarily prescribed anti- depressants or had a mild mental health issue. If you’ve spent any time in a psychiatric ward, on the other hand, you’ve probably seen a wide of mental health ailments. You might have concluded that the people in hospital are as friendly and caring as everyone else. Even if your mental health issue is not debilitating, you might know someone whose is. You might also have seen a movie or read a book based around a character who suffers from depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder or borderline personality disorder. They can seem like mysterious illnesses but they’re actually quite common, 45 per cent of Australians will have a mental health issue at some point in their lives.2 If you haven’t got a diagnosis, but feel overly anxious, down, manic or scattered, you should probably talk to a doctor about how you’re feeling. Once you get a diagnosis, you should You might just be feeling a bit teary or having trouble concentrating. This can still be a problem because your transition to work is likely to be easier the better you’re feeling. Your GP will be able to provide you with a full list of mental health conditions and treatment options; or you can look them up on the web. There’s a good chance that if you’re reading this you’ve already been given a diagnosis. But for more general information about mental health conditions, we’ve included a resource list at the end of the booklet. A experience of mental illness can bring scars and emotional baggage. It might make you feel discouraged about your chances of finding and keeping a job. Equally though, you might have got through your mental health issue without too much lasting trouble and even feel stronger and more self-aware for the experience. If you still feel like you’re struggling with your illness, the upside is that treatment has come have to stop you from reaching your goals, especially if one of those goals is getting work. Perhaps the most important thing is to seek help if you start to falter. You can find support and guidance in current research, psycho-therapy, peer support groups and/or medication. We hope that this booklet will help as well. ABS, < 2.0Main+Features30March%202009>, viewed 21 December 2010.
22 SO MANY MOUNTAINS IN THE RANGE What kind of work is right for you? If a person with mental illness is really motivated to work he/ she should be willing to try out any job. MYTH BUSTED People with a mental illness have the same right as anyone else to choose the kinds of work they do. In Norway, the employment rate of people with disabilities with tertiary education is 30 per cent higher than the employment rate of those without tertiary education. In Ireland, employment opportunities of people with a disability with a tertiary education diploma are five per cent higher than the employment opportunities of the general population with a tertiary education diploma. Jamie’s Story Jamie is 19 and has lived experience of depression and anxiety. He’s even had a depressive psychosis that led to a suicide attempt and a three-week stay in hospital. In 2009, he completed a Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management and found some work building tracks in the Hartz Mountains south of Hobart. His health deteriorated though. His depression hit him hard and he overdosed on prescription medicine just trying to dull the pain and escape from life. With help from a psychotherapist, he sorted out a lot of his issues and regained a fair amount of self-worth and self-respect. His psychotherapist suggested that he wasn’t getting enough support from the friends he was hanging around with who smoked a bit of pot and were mostly on the dole. decided that he wanted more positive energy in his life so that he wouldn’t fall back into patterns of self-hatred. This is something he works on when life seems meaningless and he feels guilty and ashamed of himself. He’s made new friends who are all studying or working and together they get into fixing up old Holdens (never Fords!). Because he struggled to find more work building tracks, Jamie decided to go back to TAFE to do a mechanical course. He’s now looking for work in an automotive workshop, seeing his psychotherapist and saving up for a new carbie so he can finish the engine of his green EJ.
A person with a mental illness should only work at low stress jobs that require no interpersonal contact MYTH BUSTED People with a mental illness can perform high stress jobs if they have a high stress tolerance, effective coping mechanisms and manage their illness well. Interpersonal contact at work can have restorative effects for people with a lived experience of mental illness. SOURCES OF STRESS Physical environment, social environment, life transitions and physical changes, thoughts and self-talk, gender differences and roles STRESS REDUCTION TECHNIQUES Relaxation, adopting a constructive mental pattern, structured problem solving, normal sleep, reducing alcohol, coffee consumption, making healthy choices FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE BREAKING THE CYCLE
Before your interview, you want to make a decision about whether you intend to disclose – this might be the last chance you’ll get before you start work if you’ve decided that you intend to ‘come out’. If you do decide to disclose, we think it’s a good idea to work out what you’re going to say before you approach your employer so you’re not caught out when the time comes to describe your situation. But remember employers are not allowed to take your condition into account unless it stops you from performing the ‘inherent requirements’ of the job (more about that later...). Further information is available here: askthesiteqandas/ mentalandemotionalhealthqandas/ interviewpanicattack documents/Work_and_Mental_Illness.pdf copingwithsad/a/jobinterviewtips.htm work/How_to_prepare_for_and_attend_ work/Pages/home.aspx The stress of working is likely to relapses for someone with severe mental illness. MYTH BUSTED Stress is an issue for people with a mental illness but it can be managed through techniques like mindfulness, meditation, exercise, medication and therapy.
DISCLOSURE: PROS AND CONS BAD EXPERIENCES OF DISCLOSURE PROS You don’t have to pretend to be well all the time. Your employer can make workplace modifications and reasonable adjustments to your workload. You further the cause of equal rights and show how ‘well’ people with a mental health condition can be. It’s not your fault that you have a mental illness. You might be able to access support from your workplace counselling or support services. CONS You could be discriminated against. You could be stigmatised and subjected to too much focus on your behaviour. Workmates could be constantly ‘looking out’ Unfortunately some graduates have had unpleasant experiences of disclosure. Your workplace might not be as accepting or flexible as it should be in this regard. A report from the United Kingdom describes some of the less successful instances where a graduate has disclosed their condition. This quote comes from a student in this situation: “I would advise any student to NEVER EVER disclose. The UK (and maybe Australia) is not ready for doctoral students with mental disabilities. There is zero support, zero defence against discrimination and zero understanding of bright mentally disabled people.” 10 The following example has been included because we think it looks like a worst case scenario. Mark is a man receiving treatment for a mental illness. With the help of his support worker, Mark applied for and gained a position questions was, ‘Have you ever suffered from a mental illness?’ The form also warned him that he could lose his position of employment if it was found that he had not truthfully answered all the above questions. After much discussion the young man decided to disclose. He had worked successfully and happily for a week but upon handing in the completed health form, his position was immediately terminated without explanation.11 Mark’s case appears to be a clear case of discrimination against a mentally ill person in the workforce. Remember that the Disability Discrimination Act almost certainly makes it illegal for an employer to a person in this way and Mark certainly benefit from seeking legal advice and/or taking his case to the Australian Human Rights Commission. 10. A. Houghton, L. Piggot & J. Armstrong, ‘Disabled Graduates DP 11’, DEIP Disability Effective Inclusion Policies, p. 6. 11 Mental Health Coordinating Council, < /images/uploaded/Disclosurepercent20ofpercent20Psychiatric
USEFUL TIPS ON DISCLOSING Remember, if and when to disclose is totally up to you. For example, you may decide to do it once you have been offered the job, or you start work. If you do decide to disclose here are some useful tips about how to go about it: Rehearse and prepare your disclosure statement Think carefully about who you want to disclose to Be clear and specific in explaining your mental illness and any adjustments needed for your working environment Emphasise your skills, capacities and strengths about the skills you have developed as a result of living with and managing your condition Remember that your employer should only discuss your mental illness in the context of your job Go over what you might say with your employment service provider, careers adviser or someone from your support network.13 For more information you can check out these websites: Choosing your path. Disclosure: It’s a Personal Decision: Australian Network on Disability: DISCLOSING DEEWR has released a literature review of the latest research on employment assistance for people with mental illness. The literature review identifies and describes models of employment assistance for people with mental illness and discusses good practice in relation to assisting people with mental illness into employment. Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations literature review of employment assistance for people with a mental illness: For information on Job Capacity Assessments see: services/disability_emp_ind.htm For information on Disability Support Payments see: payments/disability_support.htm For information on Disability Employment Services see: services/disability_emp_services.htm 13 Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, ‘Diversity Matters – Mental Health’, viewed 3 Oct 2010.
It might be useful to think about the first week of work in light of your decision to disclose your illness or keep it to yourself. If you haven’t disclosed, you’ll start work through whatever induction process is in place. You won’t be given special treatment or assistance from occupational health and safety staff. You might be a bit on edge here because you could need a cover story for your condition. If you have a history of missing work or a patchy work record you might need an explanation for the time you’ve had out. If you’ve never had your progress interrupted by your illness – if you’ve gone straight through tertiary studies, for instance, without missing semesters or years – this might not be too big of a challenge. If you have disclosed, you may be wary of people making comments about your illness and you might get told that your role has been modified or can be modified to suit your strengths. Remember, you have landed that job because of your skills and strengths – we think you should focus on them. Perhaps the most important thing to do in your first week is to stay well. All the stimulation and new contacts and tasks are probably going to be taxing on your system. We suggest that you remember the stress relief tips from pages 34–35 of this resource. We suggest that you make good use of your support network and try to get on friendly terms with other staff members who seem understanding or have a lot in common with you. Your manager will probably go easy on you in the first couple of days but this could vary across trades and professions. If you get stressed out or symptomatic, we think you should do your best to stay at work. Try your best not to miss a day in your first week. If it all gets too much, go outside for a walk or tell your manager that you’re getting a bit overloaded with new information. They’ll probably be understanding if they see you doing your best to stay on task. Remember that it’s okay to muddle through and make
RESOURCES BIBLIOGRAPHY Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family: A Resource Book for Good Mental Health by John Ashfield, Peacock Publications, Norwood, 2007 Beyond Blue Website: SANE wellness Job access: Black Dog Institute: gettinghelp/helpfullinks.cfm See Me (Anti-stigma website): Australian Network on Disability: Employability: Opportunities for disabled Australian Disability Clearing House on Education and Training, <http://www.adcet. edu.au/View.aspx?id=5826>, viewed 12 October 2010. Australian Government, Job Access, <http:// jobaccess.gov.au/Jobseekers/Getting_work/ Why_work/Pages/home.aspx>, viewed 2 October 2010. < mentalhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/ mental-illness-employment-1>, viewed 6 October 2010. Jobs in Jeopardy, <http://www.centrelink. jeopardy.htm>,viewed 28 September 2010. Australian Network on Disability, Fact Sheet, < Ebersold, S. OECD, ‘Transition to tertiary education and to employment of young adults with mental health problems’, <http:// pdf> viewed 2 Oct 2010. Houghton, A., L. Piggot & J. Armstrong, ‘Disabled Graduates DP 11’, DEIP Disability Effective Inclusion Policies. Hyun, J., B. Quinn & S Lustig, ‘Graduate student mental health: needs assessment and utilization of counselling services’, Journal of College Student Development, vol.7, no. 3, 2006 , pp. 247–66. < qa3752/is_200605/ai_n17175771/>, viewed 6 October 2010. Leff, J., & R. Wagner, Social Inclusion of People with Mental Illness, Cambridge University
Pollard, R. ‘Cost of mental illness hidden’, Sydney Morning Herald, December 9, 2004, < hidden/2004/12/08/1102182365141.html>, viewed 1 October 2010. Schaufeli, W. ‘Youth unemployment and mental health: some Dutch findings’ Journal of Adolescence 1997, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. Shafer, W. Stress Management for Wellness, Wadsworth, Belmont, 2000. The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, ‘Diversity matters: mental health’, p. 12, < students/downloads/diversity_agcas/mental- health.pdf>, viewed 3 October 2010. U.S. Government Accountability Office, ‘Young adults with serious mental illness: some states and federal agencies are taking steps to address their transition challenges’, GAO-08-678, June 23, 2008, p. 4. <http:// >, viewed October 2010.