Work integration of people living with severe mental disorders is a key factor of their recovery process. Contemporary research has contributed to improving the vocational rehabilitation of this population, by identifying the most effective practices in terms of access to employment and job retention, such as IPS supported employment (Bond et al., 2008). Within these best practices, there remains a variation of vocational outcomes, depending on various factors among which the competencies of the professionals (Drake et al., 2006; Loisel et al., 2011). Research has been developed on the competencies of employment specialists working within Supported Employment Programs (Corbière et al., 2014; Glover et al., 2013, Taylor et al., 2014; Whitley et al., 2010). The present study deals with the competencies of the two types of professionals working in transitional social firms : employment counselors and supervisors (de Pierrefeu & Charbonneau, 2014; de Pierrefeu & Pachoud, 2014). The aim is to better understand how they support effectively people with a psychiatric disability in obtaining and then in keeping an employment.
A qualitative method was used to describe roles, tasks and competencies of employment counselors and supervisors working in the transitional social firms of the Messidor’s association. 49 individual interviews with employment counselors, supervisors, directors and workers of these social firms were conducted, as well as 7 focus-groups with the two types of professionals.
This study allowed to define the work of the two types of professionals, and a list of 110 competencies for employment counselors and 155 competencies for supervisors working in these transitional social firms, emerged from qualitative analyses. This « double supervision» within transitional social firms, has been conceived as a complementary approach, helping workers to change their perceptions of themselves, becoming more confident in their work abilities, and thus helping them to obtain competitive employment. On one hand, the employment counselor supports each worker in developing strategies and actions to reach competitive employment. He or she sets up ‘job development skills’ to optimize the match between the worker's abilities and the expectations of the company. He or she plays a key role of coordination with the different stakeholders (e.g., psychiatrist, employers) involved in the work integration of people with severe mental disorders. On the other hand, the supervisor is following each worker all day long, and is training him to meet the requirement of the job, and overcome potential difficulties regarding the work to be carried out. He or she strengthen confidence and self-esteem in the worker under his or her supervision, which are key elements to obtain competitive employment.
Such a specification of the main competencies of professionals working in transitional social enterprises can help to improve the training of these professionals, their recruitment and assessment, and in this way to improve the efficiency of these social enterprises in terms of vocational rehabilitation.
Main references:
Bond, G. R., Drake, R. E. et Becker, D. R. (2008). An update on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based supported employment. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 31(4), 280.
Corbière, M., Brouwers, E., Lanctôt, N. et van Weeghel, J. (2014). Employment specialist competencies for supported employment programs. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 24(3), 484-497. doi: 10.1007/s10926-013- 9482-5
De Pierrefeu, I. et Charbonneau, C. (2014). Deux structures de réinsertion professionnelle de format hybride pour personnes avec un trouble mental : les ESAT de transition Messidor (France) et Accès-Cible SMT (Québec). L’Encéphale, 40, S66-S74.
De Pierrefeu, I. et Pachoud, B. (2014). L’accompagnement vers et dans l’emploi comme voie de rétablissement pour les personnes en situation de handicap psychique. Les ESAT de transition de l’association Messidor. L’Information psychiatrique, 90 (3), 183-190.
Drake R.E., Bond G.E. et Rapp C. (2006) Explaining the variance within supported employment programs: comment on ‘‘What predicts supported employment outcomes?’’. Community Mental Health Journal, 42(3):315—8.
Glover, C. M. et Frounfelker, R. L. (2013). Competencies of more and less successful employment specialists. Community Mental Health Journal, 49(3), 311-316.
Loisel M.D. et Corbière M. (2011) Compétences requises de l’intervenant qui facilite le retour ou la réintegration au travail des personnes à risque d’une incapacité prolongée. Dans Corbière M. et Durand M.J. (dir.), Du Trouble mental à l'incapacité au travail. Une perspective transdisciplinaire. Presses de l'Université du Québec.
Taylor, A. C. et Bond, G. R. (2014). Employment specialist competencies as predictors of employment outcomes. Community Mental Health Journal, 50(1), 31-40.
Whitley, R., Kostick, K. M. et Bush, P. W. (2010). Desirable characteristics and competencies of supported employment specialists: An empirically-grounded framework. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 37(6), 509-519.
3. Governance, employment and human resource management
