News

At a time when youth unemployment continues to present a significant challenge across the Black Country and wider West Midlands, WorkWell, led by Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust through its Employment and Recovery Service, is delivering positive results successfully engaging young people and supporting them to take active steps towards employment, education, and training.

Over the period of October 2024 to October 2025, WorkWell has received more than 650 referrals of 16-24 year olds from across the four Black Country boroughs. Of those, more than 330 participants formally joined the programme. 

Cruicially, over 50% of those who signed up are now actively engaged in support such as skills coaching, employer introductions, and job search mentoring to transition into employment, training or further education. The number of new starts has risen steadily across the year, with particularly strong uptake in summer and autumn 2025.

When life took an unexpected turn in December 2024, Luke, a Sandwell resident found themselves admitted to Hallam Street Hospital. At the time, they were in full-time employment, and as part of their support and recovery journey, they were referred to the IPS Retention Team and met Melanie, their retention worker.

“Mel met me at one of the lowest points in my life,” Luke shared. “I was struggling both mentally and physically, but she was kind, warm and understanding from the very start.”

Throughout their hospital stay and beyond, Melanie offered regular meetings, wellbeing check-ins, and compassionate listening. “She became more than my retention worker - she became my safe person. Mel listened when I cried, laughed with me when I was happy, and gave me the strength to rebuild. She was my backbone in recovery.”

Patients across all four Black Country boroughs are set to benefit from a major investment to help people stay in or return to work, thanks to new funding awarded through the Primary Care Innovation Fund.

The funding will support GP practices in Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell to scale up successful pilots already shown to reduce demand on GP appointments and provide patients with specialist support from Work and Health Coaches delivering the WorkWell programme. By integrating work and health services directly into primary care, the programme will ensure more patients receive timely support to remain in employment or return to work after illness.

Each borough will receive £25,000 to build additional capacity, deliver targeted communications, and expand referrals into the nationally recognised WorkWell programme.

WorkWell is delighted to announce an exciting new partnership with Kic Radio, a leading youth-led radio station based in the Black Country. This collaboration marks a significant step in strengthening the support and opportunities available to young people across the region.

Through this partnership, WorkWell and Kic Radio will work together to raise awareness of health conditions and disabilities support for young people seeking work or currently in a job, wider health and wellbeing services, amplify young voices, and provide new avenues for engagement, skills development, and empowerment.

Earlier this year in September, Wolvehampton IPS team had the privilege of attending the Wolverhampton Business Breakfast, where we connected with local businesses, community leaders, and key figures shaping the city’s future.

A highlight of the event was our meeting with Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Communities. We had the opportunity to share in-depth insights into our work as IPS Vocational Specialists, supporting individuals with mental health challenges to return to meaningful and sustainable employment.

Councillor Ahmed was particularly engaged in our discussion around the impact of IPS on local communities and explored potential opportunities for collaboration. We also discussed the possibility of her attending one of our network meetings to provide a more detailed overview of her work with Wolverhampton University, promoting health and wellbeing across the city.

The event underscored the importance of partnership and collaboration between local authorities and vocational support services like Wolves IPS, ensuring stronger community cohesion and better outcomes for individuals seekin
g meaningful employment.

Since its launch on 1 October 2024, WorkWell has supported hundreds of individuals across the Black Country in overcoming health-related barriers to employment. One of those people is June, a long-serving employee working in retail who returned to work with renewed confidence after support from the service.

June, who lives in the Black Country, had been on sick leave due to a combination of physical and mental health challenges, including anxiety, PTSD, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. On top of her own health needs, June is also a carer for her parents.

After being referred to WorkWell, she worked closely with Work and Health Coach Claire, who supported her through meetings with her employer and helped her navigate complex workplace adjustments. Claire also connected June to the Mobilise Carers Network for additional support at home.

As a result, June has successfully returned to work with amended duties and a formalised contract that reflects her current needs. She now reports improved sleep, reduced stress, and a general boost in wellbeing.