SCARF holds dissemination meeting of its employment programme

Through the Employment Exchange Cell of Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), 158 of the 266 enrolled persons with lived experience of mental illness were placed at least once in some job during January to December 2025, and 93 of them sustained employment for over four months.

At a dissemination meeting of the EMPOWER programme on Tuesday, R. Mangala, who heads the cell, elaborated on the key findings and impact of the programme.

Being implemented to support employment for persons with mental illness, the programme bridges the gap between clinical recovery and economic inclusion, provides vocational preparation, job placement and retention support, and works closely with employers to promote inclusive workplaces, she said.

For those who are not ready to take up jobs immediately and require training, the cell provides training, including in soft skills. Of the 52 who were referred for training, 18 have completed it, Dr. Mangala added.

While it has made persons with mental illness more confident and ready to work, SCARF has been able to sensitise more employers to take up their clients for jobs and support repeatedly, she said.

She added that they are looking ahead to expand their services to other parts of the State, facilitate better job retention, create more awareness among employers to create inclusive workplaces, and use digital tools for assessment including AI generative tools for skill training.

R. Padmavati, director of SCARF said that holding a job was an important part of one’s recovery. S. Raja Samuel, principal, Madras School of Social Work, highlighted the need to create an enabling environment, while H. Mythili, Assistant Special Officer, Commissioner for Welfare of the Differently Abled, Government of Tamil Nadu elaborated on the initiatives being taken up for persons with mental illnesses. One of the initiatives was the ‘Home Again’ project aimed at social integration.

Outlining the various regulations and laws, G. Chamki Raj, advocate, said courts have viewed termination of employees with mental illness as a form of discrimination. She added that the new Labour Codes, which looked at physical safety and welfare, were not clear on mental health aspects. Vetriselvi, assistant commissioner, Labour department and Bhavani, Senior Manager-CSR, The Sanmar Group, took part.