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Charity welcomes new projects to help people with mental illness get into work

Charity welcomes new projects to help people with mental illness get into work

The charity Rethink Mental Illness has welcomed the launch by the Government of four new projects, aimed at helping people with mental health problems get into work.

The voluntary projects offer bespoke one-to-one therapy and employment support to help people with mental illness get and stay in jobs.

Mark Winstanley, CEO of the charity Rethink Mental Illness said:

“We’ve been calling for this kind of integrated health and employment support for a long time so it’s great to see these projects being trailed. People with mental health problems have the highest ‘want to work’ rate of any group not currently in work, and it’s vital that those who can, are offered tailored support to find and keep a job. This isn’t currently a reality for most people, but specialised support should be available to everyone who wants it.

“We must also recognise however, that some people’s illness is so severe and debilitating, that full-time paid work is unrealistic. Changes to the benefits system mean that some people in this group are currently having vital financial support wrongly taken away. We must support both of these groups if we are to create a fair deal for everyone affected by mental illness.”

 


For more information, please contact Brian Semple, Senior Media Officer for Rethink Mental Illness, on 0207 840 3043 or brian.semple@rethink.org

Notes to editors

Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that believes a better life is possible for millions of people affected by mental illness.

For over 40 years we have brought people together to support each other. We run services and support groups that change people’s lives and challenge attitudes about mental illness.

We directly support almost 60,000 people every year across England to get through crises, to live independently and to realise they are not alone.

We give information and advice to 500,000 more and we change policy for millions.
For more information go to www.rethink.org

Brian Semple
Senior Media Officer – Policy
020 7840 3043
Follow me on twitter @SempleSemple