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Mental health vs jobsearching
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hi,
Just looking for some advice/tips really. I'm in the position now where I'm doing quite well and enjoying life in general.
At university I had a lot of mental health problems, but finished and graduated in 2007.
Since graduation I've tried to get a job, but at the same time been heavily involved with my local MIND and done lots of courses/met people/done WRAP.
I think it's helped me massively along with making some good new friends back home and having existing good friends since school.
In terms of work I've done quite a lot of voluntary at the same time as jobsearching in the year after graduating and done some internships in France in 2008 and 2009. I've temped for 5 months since getting back last August - it finished in January.
I think it's been better to be poor and doing stuff for my health really, but now in general I feel quite good and have made a lot of progress in the last couple of years.
Thing is every course I do helps and think I should continue doing that kind of thing. I think if I can get a job I can just take some time off to do the odd course (they are in the day) but I think getting a job is going to be easier said than done.
I guess I'm just looking for advice about my situation eg how to stay positive and confident with the jobsearch and also I guess the best things to do health-wise.
I think I've already made massive progress, but maybe the cautious approach is best, seeing as people at MIND have told me they went back to work too early after being ill - I don't want to put myself under any unnecessary pressure - maybe part time would be best as that would ease myself into the world of work ?
Just looking for some advice/tips really. I'm in the position now where I'm doing quite well and enjoying life in general.
At university I had a lot of mental health problems, but finished and graduated in 2007.
Since graduation I've tried to get a job, but at the same time been heavily involved with my local MIND and done lots of courses/met people/done WRAP.
I think it's helped me massively along with making some good new friends back home and having existing good friends since school.
In terms of work I've done quite a lot of voluntary at the same time as jobsearching in the year after graduating and done some internships in France in 2008 and 2009. I've temped for 5 months since getting back last August - it finished in January.
I think it's been better to be poor and doing stuff for my health really, but now in general I feel quite good and have made a lot of progress in the last couple of years.
Thing is every course I do helps and think I should continue doing that kind of thing. I think if I can get a job I can just take some time off to do the odd course (they are in the day) but I think getting a job is going to be easier said than done.
I guess I'm just looking for advice about my situation eg how to stay positive and confident with the jobsearch and also I guess the best things to do health-wise.
I think I've already made massive progress, but maybe the cautious approach is best, seeing as people at MIND have told me they went back to work too early after being ill - I don't want to put myself under any unnecessary pressure - maybe part time would be best as that would ease myself into the world of work ?
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Comments
If you apply for a part time job, you could always ask at the interview on the likelyhood of being able to change / up your hours as you progress. A friend of mine has just done that at Argos. He was working 24 hours per week, and he can now elect to work for 30 hours. It does of course depend on how flexiable the employer is.
If so, your Jobcentre should have a Disability Employment Adviser.
The other thing is a lot of jobs (particularly those in sales) want people who are "out-going" or "a team player", which I am not.
Maybe I should try and become a truck driver or something where I don't have so much contact with other people?
I haven't got any gaps as I've done voluntary work continuously since university at the same time as looking for paid stuff and doing all the mental health stuff I've done.
I'm on JSA. What could the adviser do for me ? I'm in the position where I'm doing quite well now so I don't think I could claim DLA, but I don't want to rush into paid employment (plus it will be difficult with the current situation) as I'm constantly doing beneficial courses and developing and also I know people at MIND have said they have had problems because of work
It sounds like you've made some real progress and you're right to consider your options carefully. As already mentioned the Jobcentre should be able to work with you and offer advice, also would further temping be an option for you? That way you would be able to be more flexible and have more control over when you work.
Let us know what you decide,
dp
By the way what is WRAP? I've not heard of it I don't think.
Temping could be an option. I'm doing some beneficial courses at the moment and there will be more courses at MIND in June. I think they all do me a lot of good. For that reason, in some ways unemployment is best for now, but I'm doing voluntary work.
WRAP stands for Wellness Recovery Action Plan :
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:IdUG0_SsfksJ:www.thinkingahead.org.uk/recovery/documents/WRAP%2520%2520description%25202007.doc+wellness+recovery+action+plan&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk