Volunteering Day – Break the Cycle
At the end of last year, Lee Cole, Senior Employment Specialist from the Kent and Medway IPS service, lent his support to Break the Cycle.
Based in Ramsgate, Break the Cycle is a project that supports residents who’ve recently been released from custody to improve their health, routines and confidence. It’s part of a wider community safety and behaviour change initiative, making it a natural partner for IPS – the reason Lee volunteered to deliver two group sessions to residents.
Two focused sessions, two important topics
Lee ran the sessions in partnership with Kelly , who manages the programme, and explored the topics of disclosure and wellbeing at work. Covered in the sessions were:
- When and how to talk about mental health with employers.
- What reasonable adjustments can look like.
- How to keep work and wellbeing in balance.
- What to share and what to keep private.
- How to frame experiences in a positive, strengths-based way.
Habit trackers as ‘early Christmas presents’
To support behaviour change beyond the sessions, each resident received a planner to use as a habit tracker , designed to help them build small daily habits linked to sleep, activity, routine, and steps towards work. One resident commented: “Today was really useful – I’m looking forward to using the planner, and I liked the tip about charging your phone away from your bed to make it less accessible.” This simple tip was shared as a practical way to improve sleep and reduce late-night scrolling.
IPS as a versatile and collaborative partner
The visit underlined how versatile and collaborative IPS can be when embedded in local services, rather than working in isolation. IPS and Break the Cycle are now exploring a clear referral pathway. Residents who are ready for paid work can be referred directly to Kent and Medway IPS for 1:1 employment support, while IPS can signpost people back to Break the Cycle for extra group-based support around routine, confidence and lifestyle change.
Next steps: checking progress in the new year
This partnership will show how health, habit-building and employment can be joined up in a practical way for local people. A follow-up visit is planned for the new year, when IPS and Break the Cycle will check how residents are using their planners, review progress towards employment, and ensure the new referral pathway is working well for everyone involved.