Quality requirement 6: Vocational rehabilitation

The centre runs (i) Working Life Service, (ii) Vocational Service and (iii) a Racial Minority Outreach Service for people affected by neurological conditions. It offers advice and guidance around future directions, including work and meaningful alternatives to work. It also works with employers and other service providers to enable them to successfully employ people with neurological conditions. The service has developed strong knowledge of working with people with cognitive impairments and is experienced in developing strategies to overcome the barriers faced by many people. They offer training in these areas to employers and other agencies.

Headway, Dorset works in partnership with Bournemouth and Poole College of Further Education to provide tailored courses for people after brain injury and to help people who were on courses before their injury to complete their studies. They offer five courses: IT training; conservation; vocational rehabilitation programme (using the Headway charity shop as a base) and essential skills & cookery. Specialist rehabilitation coaches support tutors in helping people progress to further education or college courses.

The Pre-vocational Programme for Adults with ABI is for people with ABI not ready for work in the open employment market. It assists them to move towards their goal of returning to work in a meaningful capacity through formal and informal assessment, teaching of specific strategies and skills as part of an individualised programme and opportunities to practice work skills in-house. Defining return to work as a meaningful occupation (including paid employment, voluntary work, further vocational training and education), the Programme has a 70% success rate. The Team are willing to share their experiences and specific resources.

The project covers South East Wales and aims to support people with acquired brain injury to access a variety of vocational opportunities, including voluntary work, education and training, and paid employment. The project has developed a number of tools to support clients and staff, which they are willing to share.

‘Working Out’ is a specialist brain injury vocational assessment and rehabilitation programme. It won a NHS Modernisation award in 2000, and is willing to share some of the programme resources.