Employee empowerment programme supports young people to stay well and stay in work

Healthy Working Life – a joint programme from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board - is supporting young people to stay and thrive in employment.

Invictus Wellbeing, working in partnership with C&K Careers and the Calderdale Cares Partnership, delivers an Employee Empowerment Programme for 16-30-year-olds at risk of losing their jobs due to mental health challenges. The programme offers person-centred, trauma-informed mental health and wellbeing support for 16-30-year-olds who are:

• currently employed
• at risk, or at rising risk, of losing employment due to mental health-related absence
• motivated to access free counselling and 1:1 support

Beatrice (not real name to protect identity), a young professional whose health was directly impacting her ability to remain in work, accessed the service in December 2025. Equipped with practical tools to manage stress and rebuild self-belief, she regained confidence, secured a new job and continues to strengthen her resilience.

“Beatrice had lost confidence in herself,” her practitioner, Georgina, explains. “Using reflective tools helped her reconnect with her strengths and recognise that burnout is not failure. It is often a signal that support or change is needed.”

Without timely intervention, she may have exited employment altogether – instead, she is now settled, hopeful and well at work.

Georgina adds: “The goal is not just staying in work - it’s staying well in work.”

Read Beatrice’s story on our Healthy Working Life case study pages.