'They really get you motivated': Experiences of a life-first employment programme from the perspective of long-term unemployed Australians.

Long-term unemployment can negatively impact health and well-being, and is a central focus of governments seeking to address poverty and social exclusion. Little is known about how individuals experience programmes aimed at addressing long-term unemployment and consequently the client-centred indicators of 'success'. In-depth interviewswere carried outwith 31 long-termunemployed individuals engaged in a 'life-first' programme integrating vocational assistance with intensive personal strengths-based support. The participants in this programme faced multiple disadvantages including employment and educational barriers as well as a range of significant personal issues. They equated successful outcomes in the programme with receiving awealth of psychosocial and practical assistance in addition to vocational support, and having a casemanagerwho approached these issues as awhole. Findings suggest that, in order to provide the best chance of gaining and maintaining employment, programmes should address, in tandem, personal and vocational barriers facing those who are long-term unemployed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]