Voices@Work
Supporting people who hear voices to get work
What is Voices @ Work?
Voices@Work is a pilot project, funded by Lotterywest, that supports people who hear voices to get employment. It provides voice hearers * with access to Hearing Voices education and, via collaborative work with the employment service provider and other key stakeholders, assists them to manage the distress associated with their experiences in relation to attaining and maintaining employment.
This project further aims to provide the space for voice hearers to empower themselves as a result of specific education and support. It has been shown that increased awareness leads to greater control over their experiences and a reduction of associated distress.
The program draws on the fundamental premise of Hearing Voices Networks worldwide that by increasing awareness via education about:
- the experience of hearing voices;
- strategies to cope with those voices; and,
- the importance of organising the experience,
and by putting this understanding into practice, people can gain control and mastery over their experience.
* ’Voice hearer’ is a term used to describe people who hear voices. Within psychiatry the experience of hearing voices is referred to as auditory hallucinations.
Who is eligible for this project?
You are eligible if you are:
- hear voices
- are unemployed and/ or on a Disability Pension
- are seeking employment
- are registered with an employment agency or are willing to join one
- live in the Perth metropolitan area or in the Bunbury region.
Expectation
We believe that, by attending the Hearing Voices training run by RFWA, people will increase their awareness and understanding about the experience of hearing voices. With this knowledge they are then positioned to put into practice the ideas, strategies and innovations that is the recovery work of the Hearing Voices approach.
Education in and of itself will not create recovery - recovery requires action, commitment and practice from the voice hearer themselves.
Objectives
- To provide Hearing Voices education to Voices at Work clients, their families/ carers, employment service providers and selected employers.
- To support voice hearers seeking to engage with the employment process in order to obtain and sustain employment.
- Engage with key people from employment services and support agencies as mutual allies to support voice hearers in the process of engaging with employment.
Voices@Work provides
- Access to Hearing Voices training and education for voice hearers, their key support people (family members or key worker/case manager), employment agencies and employers
- Training at no charge for participants and their identified key people.
How do I register for the project?
Voice hearers, family members, carers or case managers can download the Expression of Interest form from this website. Alternatively, contact RFWA and request one to be mailed out.
Commencing with the project
Within two weeks of receipt of the Expression of Interest form, the applicant will be contacted to organise a suitable time for an initial meeting. This meeting will include:
- An orientation to Voices@Work
- Completion of a pre-project survey
- Registration for training
Exiting the project
On leaving Voices@Work, participants will be asked to complete a post-project survey.
Key Principles for working with voices
- Accepting that hearing voices is a valid experience;
- Respecting each person's interpretation and beliefs about their experiences;
- Fostering and enabling safety and wellbeing of all;
- Promoting hope;
- Helping clients to know that they are not alone;
- Believing in each person's capacity to take control of their experience and recover;
- Encouraging people to come together and to feel safe in sharing their experiences and coping strategies;
- Working collaboratively and inclusively with other services to develop knowledge and achieve holistic approaches to recovery; and
- Fostering and supporting client independence and empowerment.
Downloads