Discover how our At Work program can meet your needs

Jan 6, 2024

Employment is a key determinant of health and well-being.

At Work is a FREE program that helps Nova Scotians living with a mental illness who are unemployed or under-employed find and maintain stable, well-paying jobs that match their strengths, skills, and needs. Examples of mental illness include, but is not limited to; social anxiety disorder, chronic depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The team also provides consultation to employers who want to create a safe, mentally healthy workplace.

At Work is available to anyone who meets the following criteria and is in need of some support. PLEASE NOTE: You do not need a referral or a formal diagnosis to benefit from this program.

• Individual can’t have received employment insurance benefits within five years of entering the program (extenuating circumstances can be reviewed)
• Individual must be over the age of 16 and legally entitled to work in Canada

Services At Work Offers

• Job coaching
• Assistance seeking safe, sustainable employment
• Resume building support
• Skill matching

Information for Employers

At Work not only matches employers with trained, skilled candidates, At Work staff are also available to provide basic guidance in creating a safe, mentally healthy workplace and are available to offer support to employers looking to improve their mental health literacy.

Lunch and Learns are held the last Wednesday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Upcoming Dates:

• January 31 | REGISTER
• February 28 | REGISTER
• March 27 | REGISTER

Questions?

Contact Tracy Hiltz at [email protected] to learn more.

Why we deliver the At Work program:

For people with mental illness, being involved in work and education has benefits beyond managing symptoms.

These include improved social and cognitive abilities, self-esteem and social networks.All of these factors support people’s ability to live independently and have a decent income.

Further, it is evident that individuals with mental illness value work, are motivated, and can succeed in a variety of jobs requiring different skills and abilities. The evidence shows what consumers themselves report — that work has financial, social, mental health and other benefits unique to each individual.

Despite these obvious benefits, unemployment rates for people with mental illness are significant. While the numbers vary depending on different factors, it is clear that people with mental illness experience much higher rates of unemployment than people with most other disabilities and health conditions, and substantially higher rates than the general population.

Individuals with mental illness may also have difficulty accessing and completing post-secondary education. Without educational achievement and quality employment, individuals face poverty, alienation, high levels of boredom, increased risk of addiction, isolation, and deteriorating mental and physical health.