Trauma-Informed Individual Placement and Support in a Youth Community Service in Regional Australia: Trauma-Exposed Young People's Experiences

Abstract

Introduction

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based intervention to support people with severe mental ill health to engage in work or education. However, how it should be integrated into a service for young people with high levels of exposure to trauma is unclear. This project involved the development of a trauma-informed training and supervision model to augment IPS training and the implementation of the trauma-informed-IPS (TI-IPS) training and supervision model TI-IPS into a youth community service in regional Australia. The aim of the research project was to understand how young people experienced receiving the TI-IPS model.

Methods

TI-IPS was implemented at Veritas House. Ten trauma-exposed young people who had received TI-IPS participated in in-depth qualitative interviews about their experiences. Results were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

Results

Young people described how important trust in the TI-IPS worker was and how trust supported them in being motivated to look for work. They also described feeling safe interacting with their IPS worker. Young people talked about trauma with their IPS workers in a brief and contained way and experienced this as helpful and supportive.

Conclusions

The trauma-informed and IPS models of care can be integrated successfully in youth services. Young people highly value the relationship with their worker when undertaking TI-IPS.