Lisa Rullo, Individual Placement and Support (IPS) vocational specialist at headspace Ipswich, has become the very first person to complete an IPS micro-credential in full.
This is an important milestone for Orygen’s IPS Centre of Excellence micro-credentials program, which it has been busy developing and delivering for headspace centres across Australia.
Micro-credentials are designed to help IPS workers gain and enhance their knowledge and skills in providing evidence-based vocational support to young people experiencing mental ill-health.
Lisa has been awarded the Work Effectively in a Clinical Mental Health Setting micro-credential. She has received a certificate and digital badge from Orygen in recognition of her achievement.
The Federal Department of Social Services funds the IPS program in 50 headspace centres across Australia. They have engaged Orygen to develop and deliver this workforce development framework, which will support skill development as well as recruitment and retention of the IPS workforce.
One aspect of this delivery has been the development of an IPS core program of micro-credentials.
Vince Rio, IPS Training Manager, said, “I am privileged to be part of a team working on such an innovative project. These micro-credentials provide targeted professional development training that contributes to having a skilled workforce delivering effective vocational support to young people.
“I believe micro-credentials will continue to provide specialised training for individuals across a range of specific work areas.”
Orygen will deliver a program of nine core and three advanced micro-credentials that deliver skill-specific certifications that enable more flexible access to qualifications. IPS workers are able to undertake training in areas they want to specialise or develop skills in. They can work through them in their own time and at their own pace.
Gina Chinnery, Director Employment and Education Partnership and manager of the project, said, “When I think back to when I started out as an IPS worker at Orygen in 2005, if I’d had access to this type of training, it would have been so helpful to understand the model better and how to work in a clinical setting.”
“I’m very proud of our team for developing a program that will help hundreds of IPS workers across the country to gain knowledge and skills that will ultimately provide the best vocational support to young people with mental ill-health.”
For more information about IPS at Orygen, including information about micro-credentials, visit the Orygen Youth IPS Centre of Excellence.
