TY - JOUR
T1 - The youth online training and employment system
T2 - Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of an online vocational intervention for young people with mental ill health
AU - Simmons, Magenta B.
AU - Nicholas, Jennifer
AU - Chinnery, Gina
AU - O'Sullivan, Shaunagh
AU - D'Alfonso, Simon
AU - Bendall, Sarah
AU - Cagliarini, Daniela
AU - Hamilton, Matthew
AU - Gleeson, John
AU - Killackey, Eóin
AU - Alvarez-Jimenez, Mario
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was generously funded by the Helen MacPherson Smith Trust. We thank the research assistants: Thomas Butera‐Kelly, Nicholas Kleenman, Ingrid Pryor, and Lee Valentine. MS was supported by a Melbourne Research Fellowship from The University of Melbourne. JN was supported by supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Prevention and Early Intervention of Mental Illness and Substance Use (PREMISE; APP1134909). SB was supported by the McCusker Charitable Foundation. EK was supported by the BB & A Miller Foundation. MA‐J was supported by an Investigator Grant (APP1177235) from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Aim: People diagnosed with mental disorders experience higher rates of unemployment than those without. Career adaptability, defined as the ability to respond flexibly and make informed career decisions in work and throughout career transitions, is becoming increasingly important as the nature of work changes rapidly. Early vocational intervention may ameliorate poor education and employment outcomes experienced by young people with mental ill-health and promote transferable skills and adaptability. Online-based career support allows for ongoing access throughout different career stages. The current study combines mental health-informed digital career and peer motivation, to create a Youth Online Training and Employment System (YOTES) that supports young people with mental ill-health obtain and remain in education or employment. Methods: This study is an unblinded randomized controlled trial for young people with mental ill-health, aged 16–25, who are seeking vocational support. Participants will be randomized to receive either YOTES, a moderated, online intervention with vocational, social, and peer motivation, or a control intervention, the headspace Digital Work and Study Service. Both groups will have access to in-person career support if seeking employment. The primary outcome will be career adaptability compared between the YOTES and control groups at 6-months post baseline. Secondary outcomes include number of hours worked in the past 7 days, hope, career confidence, psychological distress and health economic outcomes at 6- and 12-months post baseline. Conclusion: Results will demonstrate whether an online career intervention moderated by career practitioners with peer motivation can result in improved career adaptability in young people with mental ill-health.
AB - Aim: People diagnosed with mental disorders experience higher rates of unemployment than those without. Career adaptability, defined as the ability to respond flexibly and make informed career decisions in work and throughout career transitions, is becoming increasingly important as the nature of work changes rapidly. Early vocational intervention may ameliorate poor education and employment outcomes experienced by young people with mental ill-health and promote transferable skills and adaptability. Online-based career support allows for ongoing access throughout different career stages. The current study combines mental health-informed digital career and peer motivation, to create a Youth Online Training and Employment System (YOTES) that supports young people with mental ill-health obtain and remain in education or employment. Methods: This study is an unblinded randomized controlled trial for young people with mental ill-health, aged 16–25, who are seeking vocational support. Participants will be randomized to receive either YOTES, a moderated, online intervention with vocational, social, and peer motivation, or a control intervention, the headspace Digital Work and Study Service. Both groups will have access to in-person career support if seeking employment. The primary outcome will be career adaptability compared between the YOTES and control groups at 6-months post baseline. Secondary outcomes include number of hours worked in the past 7 days, hope, career confidence, psychological distress and health economic outcomes at 6- and 12-months post baseline. Conclusion: Results will demonstrate whether an online career intervention moderated by career practitioners with peer motivation can result in improved career adaptability in young people with mental ill-health.
KW - career development
KW - digital innovation
KW - peer support
KW - vocational support
KW - youth mental health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099104159&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/eip.13100
DO - 10.1111/eip.13100
M3 - Article
C2 - 33426790
AN - SCOPUS:85099104159
SN - 1751-7885
VL - 15
SP - 1602
EP - 1611
JO - Early Intervention in Psychiatry
JF - Early Intervention in Psychiatry
IS - 6
ER -