Vocational Intervention Program

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The Vocational Intervention Program (VIP) supports achievement of vocational outcomes for people with acquired brain injury.

Adult community Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program sites in NSW partner with local vocational rehabilitation providers to support people with a brain injury to return to work.

The VIP pathways

People with a work goal may follow one of two pathways:

  • Same employer – early intervention pathway for people with the opportunity to return to their pre-injury employer.
  • New employer – employment pathway for people seeking training, re-training or job-seeking assistance to obtain new work.

Client toolkit

Tools for people with an acquired brain injury intending to return to work.

Employer toolkit

Support a person with a brain injury to resume work or begin work at your workplace.

Clinician toolkit

Work with a person who has identified a return-to-work goal.

Vocational provider toolkit

DES or private vocational providers can support a person with a brain injury to start or return to work.

VIP principles

  • People with brain injury should be given every opportunity to return to, or enter, the workforce.
  • Early inclusion of vocational goals in a client’s rehabilitation program leads to better return to work outcomes.
  • Understanding brain injury and its impact on returning to work leads to better return to work outcomes.
  • Effective collaboration with the client, BIRP clinician and vocational provider improves program success.

VIP goals

  • Develop and maintain local partnerships between BIRP clinicians and vocational providers to support employment for people with brain injury in NSW.
  • Build capacity and expertise for achieving employment for people with brain injury.
  • Increase employment outcomes for people with brain injury in NSW.
  • Improve the health and wellbeing of people with brain injury through increased participation in vocational activities.

Client stories

Ian's story

Daniel's story

Anthony's story

Julian's story

Phillip's story

VIP development

The VIP was developed as a systemic approach to manage vocational rehabilitation for people with acquired brain injury in NSW.

The VIP is an initiative of the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation and icare. At the core of the program is the collaboration between BIRPs and vocational providers.

The program was implemented initially as a pilot project (VIP1, 2014-2017). It was scaled up as a statewide project  involving all 12 BIRP sites partnered with vocational providers (private and DES providers).

More about the 2018-2021 project (PDF 2.7 MB)

Acknowledgements

The VIP was developed, trialled and supported by: icare, Ingham Institute and BIRP sites.

The VIP could not have happened without the generous involvement of the hundreds of clients, their families and employers that contributed to program trials, tracking outcomes and sharing stories.

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