E Ara E – Rise up

In April 2021 Odyssey launched E Ara E – Rise up, a service that works in partnership with rangatahi aged 18 to 24 years old, supporting them into work or study. Developed in partnership with Ministry of Social Development and using an adapted Individual Placement Support (IPS) model, the service was based on the Take Charge service delivered by Odyssey House Christchurch. Learning from their challenges in engaging rangatahi, a further adaptation was made with the inclusion of peer support workers, aimed at engaging young people who were reluctant or anxious to participate in the service.

The team comprises a clinical manager, employment specialists, wellbeing practitioners and peer support workers. Participants are welcomed into the service by peer support workers and are supported by them throughout their time with the programme. Rangatahi can be challenging to keep engaged, so peer support is seen as vital to maintaining motivation and engagement. Our two peer support workers have extensive lived experience of mental health and addiction issues and have transformed their lives, which enables them to role-model, inspire and demonstrate that recovery is possible.