Programs in development, pilot and evaluation stage
WISE IDEA’s team of occupational therapists with substantial experience in mental health and employment are involved in the research and development of new and better ways to help people living with mental health conditions reach their employment goals, while also working with managers and employers to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of workplaces. Our work involves the development of targeted programs, which are piloted to ensure fit and acceptability, then evaluated to measure effectiveness.
Programs for people living with mental health conditions in this stage include:
Employ Your Mind (EYM) Youth
WISE IDEA has adapted Employ Your Mind (a vocational rehabilitation program that uses an evidence-based approach called cognitive remediation) to support young people aged between 16 and 25 years. Using the principles of co-design, WISE IDEA is working with a group of young people to review and adjust the program to meet the needs and expectations of the younger age group before delivering the Stage 1 pilot, partnering with Mind in the Box Hill headspace. Monash University and WISE IDEA are working in partnership to evaluate the pilot which is supported by funding from the William Buckland Foundation.
Stage 2 of the pilot will involve further refinement and evaluation of the program delivery at scale.
For: Young people living with mental health conditions
Status: In pilot
Acknowledgements: Mind at Box Hill headspace, Monash University, the William Buckland Foundation
The Journey to Work project
The Journey to Work Project assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are living with a mental health condition to achieve their employment goals whilst also helping employers create supportive and culturally safe workplaces. A 3-year pilot program was delivered in partnership with Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place (MMIGP), a community controlled Aboriginal organisation - based in Melbourne’s East. An impact evaluation of The Journey to Work has shown that for every $1.00 invested, there is $9.38 of social value created. Building on the learnings of the impact evaluation, the project will continue to help First Nations People with a psychosocial disability build employment related skills through the development of an Implementation Guide and associated training materials that enables The Journey to Work to be replicated by other agencies and delivered at scale within a First Nations context.
For: First Nations community agencies and mental health agencies working in partnership
Status: Project is due to be completed in June 2026
Acknowledgements: Community Members and staff from Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place, and this project is funded under the Australian Government’s Information Linkages and Capacity Building program
Program artwork by Gary Saunders. A proud Bangerang, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjuri, and Dja Dja Wurrung man.
Workplace Interaction Program
The Workplace Interaction Program (WIP) helps employees with mental health conditions (including co-occurring autism) to build their skills and confidence in workplace communication and interaction. WIP has been developed and is delivered by WISE IDEA Occupational Therapists and focuses on building the skills required for managing interaction at work.
It can be offered as an individual and group eight-week program and in addition to skills development, it provides opportunities for time sensitive and situation-relevant problem-solving and support so the person can apply their newly acquired skills to the situation occurring in their workplace.
Stage 2 of the pilot will develop and deliver sessions focused on building capability of employers to provide workplace support.
For: Employees living with mental health conditions (including co-occurring autism)
Status: In pilot
Acknowledgements: WISE Inclusive Employment Australia Victoria
Programs for support workers in this stage include:
Employ Your Mind (EYM) -
Train the Coach Demonstration project
The Workplace Interaction Program (WIP) helps employees with mental health conditions (including co-occurring autism) to build their skills and confidence in workplace communication and interaction. WIP has been developed and is delivered by WISE IDEA Occupational Therapists and focuses on building the skills required for managing interaction at work.
It can be offered as an individual and group eight-week program and in addition to skills development, it provides opportunities for time sensitive and situation-relevant problem-solving and support so the person can apply their newly acquired skills to the situation occurring in their workplace.
Stage 2 of the pilot will develop and deliver sessions focused on building capability of employers to provide workplace support.
For: Employees living with mental health conditions (including co-occurring autism)
Status: In pilot
Acknowledgements: WISE Inclusive Employment Australia Victoria
Programs for employers in this stage are:
Employer Toolkit
Despite the availability of general web-based mental-health-at-work guides, hands-on targeted mental health expertise including professional assessments and tailored adjustments for employees, expert advice and support for managers and staff are not options readily available to employers. This affects both the confidence of managers to provide appropriate support and the efficiency of business operations. Many social enterprises and some commercial businesses commit to proactively employing staff with a disability or mental health condition. Many of these businesses would benefit from expertise to ensure best practice in appropriate workplace mental health support is provided. The Employer Toolkit package of support will provide employers with the tools and confidence to provide and access effective adjustments, advice and individualised workplace support for employees with complex mental health conditions. WISE IDEA and Monash University are working in partnership to evaluate the pilot which is supported by funding from The Ian Potter Foundation.
For: Social enterprises and mainstream employers
Status: In pilot
Acknowledgements: The Ian Potter Foundation and Monash University
Chance for All
Chance for All is an employment program for people living with a psychosocial disability or who have a long-term mental health condition. The program provides professional employment opportunities and career pathways for program participants. Chance for All was developed by Given the Chance, a Social Enterprise within the Brotherhood of St Laurence, and is delivered in partnership with WISE IDEA and GradWISE. WISE IDEA works with candidates who would benefit from a mental health and employment assessment. We then develop a tailored vocational plan and provide recommendations for reasonable adjustments specific to the candidate and the role, and support and advice for their support workers and managers. It is a clear example of how mental health expertise can extend into the workplace.
For: People living with mental health conditions
Status: In pilot
Acknowledgements: The Brotherhood of St Laurence and GradWISE
Get in touch
Send us an email if you are interested in participating in a pilot with WISE IDEA.
Publications
Susan L Rossell, K Allott, S Bryce, K Douglas, A Miles, M Thomas, TE van Rheenen, F Dark
The Journey to Work Social Return on Investment Analysis (2025)
Employ Your Mind (EYM), a vocational rehabilitation and cognitive remediation program: the participants’ experience (2025)
I Pruscino, K Pope, K K Willoughby & A Miles
Where next for cognitive remediation in Australasian mental health care? (2025)
S L Rossell, K Allott, S Bryce, K Douglas, A Miles, M Thomas, TE van Rheenen, F Dark.
Adapting evidence-based group therapies following COVID-19 restrictions (2022)
F Dark, A Miles, K Madson & E Strochnetter
Improving Cognitive Skills for People with Mental Illness to Increase Vocational and Psychosocial Outcomes: The Employ Your Mind Program (2021)
A Miles, C Crosse, Z Jenkins, P Morgan, E Fossey, C Harvey and D Castle.
‘Employ Your Mind’: a pilot evaluation of a programme to help people with serious mental illness obtain and retain employment (2020)
A Miles, C Crosse, Z Jenkins, P Morgan, E Fossey, C Harvey and D Castle.