Employment Support

Balance provides employment support to people, working in partnership with Kingston iCope. We offer an impartial, supportive, and confidential approach to help people find the right job for them and to prevent them leaving their existing jobs due to mental ill health, when they want and can work.

We provide support in the following areas:

Support to sustain your current role.

  • Discussing ways to support your wellbeing at work and developing strategies that you can use along with support with confidence and motivation
  • Reflecting on support that is available within your organisation, for example, a supportive colleague, Employee assistance programme or speaking with your manager about your health and advising on reasonable adjustments, if appropriate. We can speak with your employers or talk you through ways that you can do this.
  • Support you if you feel your current role has a negative impact on your mental health and you wish to move into a different sector which is more in line with your interests and values.

Returning to work from sick leave

  • We can help you to return to work and develop a plan to help support you. This could include liaising with your employer or supporting you to do this, to include a phased return and ongoing support.

Finding the right job for you

  • CV development, interview skills, job searching, assistance with application forms
  • Signposting to courses, volunteering, and advocacy
  • Guidance on changing career sector including looking at your current skills, what your strengths and interests are and planning what training or support there is to link you in with
  • Overcoming identified barriers for example coming off benefits, working with you to stay motivated by helping you identify your employment related goals.

 

Accessing our support

If you would like to receive support from Balance, please speak to your iCope clinician and request a referral to Balance. Alternatively, please email healthteam@balancesupport.org.uk if you require further information.

It might be that you would benefit from just one session which we could follow up with resources or more typically we work with people for around 3-6 months. Our service provides clients with a blend of face-to-face support, telephone, and video conferencing.

Here’s what our clients are saying about us …

Extremely glad to have received the support as the Employment Advisor had been understanding and did not put unnecessary pressure on me to do what I was not ready to do to move on. Extremely satisfied and would definitely recommend others to seek support from Balance Support.

Aside from the obvious help with direction, I found the regular meetings great for my mental health and for keeping me accountable to myself. It was great to have someone who understands the stress and mental health side of job searching.  My Advisor was way beyond a job search consultant and helped me with my confidence.

Having regular conversations with my Advisor has made a great difference to how I feel and think about what has happened to me at work, and how I think about going forward in my career.  Throughout the process I felt heard, understood, and I thought that my Advisor genuinely cared for my wellbeing. 

Earlier this year, I was made redundant from my job and had no confidence that I would get another.  My Advisor gave me motivation as well as support from finding jobs to going through interview questions with me. I am so glad that I had this support, I don’t think I would be employed without it.

My Advisor has completely calmed me, providing valuable advice, helping me to review alternative solutions and support.  Without this support, I am not sure I would have recovered enough to return to work.