Find Support

“We focus on working in partnership with people to guide them through the key stages of the employment journey to break down barriers and identify potential avenues for employment to achieve their goals.” – Team Manager

Our team of professional mobile  employment consultants work throughout Auckland with people in their local communities. We have extensive networks with employers and referrers, we come from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. We are here to take the time to understand your passions and interests whilst supporting your career aspirations.

“It seems to me that by the time clients get to your organization they could be like me, been through the wringer a bit, zero confidence, not really trusting the process even. Here they’ve encouraged me as they’ve’ heard me and even raised my confidence as they can see I can do more than I thought I could.” – Service user (name withheld).

Access to our service can come via phone, email or using the online referral form

A unique programme to support people with ongoing Health Conditions, Injury or Disability (HCID). Users of this service will develop the necessary skills and motivation needed to successfully gain sustainable employment.

This is undertaken in two phases:
Phase One
This phase is all about coming along to regular weekly pre-employment workshops at the Ember offices in Otahuhu, as well as receiving one to one support from your personal employment consultant to help with the learnings from the workshops. The goal here is to put theses learnings into a real-life context for you and customise pre-employment activities (such as developing a personalised CV) to suit your career path. This phase would be undertaken over the first 8 weeks of the programme. By the end of this period, we would expect that you would be in a good position to undertake the second phase of the 12-week programme.

 
Phase Two
Following on from the first phase of the programme; you will have identified the type of work that you are best suited for, have a personalised CV and a wide range of personal interview skills. During the final four weeks of the programme, your personal employment consultant will draw upon their expertise in employment practice to support you to identify and secure employment.

Once employment has been secured the employment consultant will offer you in work support for up to six months. Our employment consultants are skilled in supporting clients to develop natural supports in the workplace. The focus here will be on developing good employer relationships, navigating the norms, expectations, workplace culture and identifying the ‘go to’ people when more formal support is needed.
 
Transport during the Programme
Ember Employment Specialists will provide transport for participants to and from the group workshops as required. We will also facilitate transportation to other community locations (e.g., Local budgeting provider, Citizens Advice Bureau etc.) throughout the programme.

Venue
Workshops will be delivered at the Ember South Auckland Hub in Huia Road, Otahuhu
One to one follow-up support is provided in the participants community.

IPS is an evidence-based approach to supported employment for people who have a mental illness.

IPS supports people in their efforts to achieve steady employment in mainstream competitive jobs

IPS (Individual Placement And support) helps people with mental health issues who want to get and keep work.  It is integrated with mental health care and treatment. The approach is used across the world, and it’s proven to work.Waitamata DHB and Ember are working together to offer an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment service In The Rodney Area.Not only does employment contribute to income, but it can also support us to build self-esteem and confidence. For many people work can be good for our health and can give us a sense of purpose in life.

This service is funded by New Zealand government departments.

We are guided by the principles of the Individual Placement and Support model (IPS).

 Integrated services

Successfully assisting people who experience multiple barriers in gaining employment is a real team effort. Therefore, employment support is integrated with your treatment or support team.

 Competitive employment

You will be supported to obtain a job that anyone can apply for, that pays at least the minimum wage and isn’t created or set aside for people with disabilities.

Zero exclusion

You will not be excluded on the basis of readiness, diagnoses, symptoms, substance use history, psychiatric hospitalisations, homelessness, level of disability or criminal history.

Employer engagement

Employment specialists visit employers who are selected based on your preferences, to learn about their business needs and hiring preferences

Rapid job search

Once you decide you want to work, an employment specialist will begin the job search quickly to ensure you are meeting with employers within 30 days.

Individual preferences

IPS programme services are based on your preferences and choices rather than those of the employment specialist

 Benefit planning

Employment specialists help people obtain personalised, understandable and accurate information about their Work and Income, Inland Revenue and other government entitlements.

Ongoing support

Support is individualised and continues for as long as you require.

What can we expect from the IPS programme?

• A warm welcome.
• A tailored employment support experience to you and your individual needs.
• A focus on your strengths and skills when identifying jobs and career options.
• Your mental health team ensuring care and treatment plans are aligned with employment support plans.
• Knowledge that evidence based, best practice principles for employment support are used.

Access to the IPS Service is made by referral directly from Your Mental Health clinician

Whiti Ora and Akiaki Ora provide a variety of skill based programmes that promote life skills, community integration and preparation for employment.

The services are available to people from 16 years of age who have experienced mental ill- health. We provide a variety of options that offer individualised learning and support in:

• Wellness
• Self-development
• Pre-employment

Ember has embraced the Strengths Model Principles (Charles A. Rapp). The focus of our work is on the strengths of individuals which allow them to establish achievable goals that meet their needs and aspirations.

To achieve this, we provide different services including:

Groups are available to persons with lived experience of mental illness and are 16 and over. Individual support is available to persons with lived experience of mental illness and are 16 to 65 years. We are required by our funders to gather the following information for statistical purposes & to confirm eligibility to attend the service. Missing information & documentation will slow down the referral process & your ability to attend the service.

Mahia i runga i te rangimārie me te ngākau māhaki

With a peaceful mind and a respectful heart, we will always get the best results

Intensive Support Services (ISS) was founded  in 2001 in response to a Ministry of Health review, which identified the need for a ‘vocational service’ to cater for high & complex need clients with intellectual disability and/or a mental health diagnoses.

The Intellectual Disability, Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation Act, (IDCC&R) came into effect in 2003, and the Forensic Coordination Services (Intellectual Disability) – (FCS(ID)) was established to implement and monitor the Act.

Today ISS provides life skills and day service specifically tailored to the individual needs of each client, combining client-centred goals with behavioural interventions. We work in partnership with residential services to provide an all-encompassing array of supportive services to facilitate the client on their pathway to rehabilitation.

Clients are currently referred to ISS by FCS(ID), where in conjunction with residential services and the client,  a plan is formulated on how best to support clients achieve their goals. Current programmes offered by ISS include cooking, transportation skills, art, social skills, culture, drama and dance, recreational based learning, work placement and voluntary work, and support to access tertiary education

The long term goal of ISS is for each client to develop a positive sense of identity combining self-confidence and independent living skills along with marketable work skills in order for clients to lead a purposeful and rich life within the community. ISS is located in Auckland with premises in Otahuhu (South Auckland) and New Lynn (West Auckland).

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” – James Baldwin