Work Counts host IPS expert in New Zealand

IPS employment support expert Sandy Langfitt Reese has spent two weeks in the country learning more about how New Zealand organisations are implementing the IPS approach, while getting a taste of the Kiwi culture.

Sandy, who is an IPS national trainer and research associate from the IPS Employment Center in the USA, was hosted by Work Counts with the support of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development.

Sandy was in New Zealand to acknowledge the formal partnership between New Zealand and the IPS International Learning Community. New Zealand was welcomed into this community in late 2017.

During her time in New Zealand, Sandy shared her knowledge and expertise while co-leading trainings and seminars, conducting a Fidelity Review and spending time with the national IPS steering group to better understand the direction IPS is taking in New Zealand.

Key highlights of her trip included getting to know the people and organisations implementing the IPS approach, a pōwhiri at a Māori mental health team and meeting ministry officials.

Throughout her visit Sandy shared her wisdom and reaffirmed to the national IPS steering group and Work Counts implementation managers that they’re on the right track.

“While here, Sandy reinforced the value of fidelity reviews as a quality and service tool and the benefits they have to the services who engage in it,” said Work Counts implementation manager, Adel Stephenson.

Several key learnings were taken on board by the Work Counts team, that will be built on and applied to our New Zealand context.

Read about the seminar Sandy delivered in New Zealand on IPS implementation support