The Association of Occupational Health and Wellbeing Professionals​
Supporting you through your Occupational Health career
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Organisation connected to Occupational Health
VRA – Vocational Rehabilitation Association
VRA - Vocational Rehabilitation Association
The VRA is leading the professional delivery of effective vocational rehabilitation.
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Rehabilitation, in the health context, involves facilitating optimal participation for disadvantaged individuals in society. Furthermore, vocational rehabilitation (VR) maximises participation in the workforce. Vocational rehabilitation practitioners (VRPs) tend to be health/rehabilitation professionals, specialising in understanding health in the context of work. Other VRPs are employment experts with specialist knowledge of health and/or disability issues.
VRPs assist:
- those who have difficulties in entering the workforce;
- those having difficulties with their current jobs; and
- those who are out of work but seeking help to re-enter employment.
The VRA represents all those involved in delivering VR services. Consequently a number of groups are involved from both health (NHS and private) and other government agencies and social enterprises e.g. the Department for Work and Pensions.
We are aware of the deficient VR services in the UK and strive to develop greater provision with an appropriately skilled workforce. We help and encourage employers (through both HR and occupational health) to be more aware of, and better understand, the value of providing VR. In turn this assists employers retain employees despite ill health. It also helps reduce sickness absence and aids the economy through reducing the costs associated with ill-health.
The Association exists to:
- help people working in the field of disability and employment;
- to promote and develop their personal, professional and practical skills; and also
- to maintain their awareness of a broad range of rehabilitation issues.
The Association is committed to:
- fulfilling aims that will ensure the recognition of the skills and knowledge of practitioners;
- setting and furthering standards for future practitioners; and also
- providing a competence framework for users of vocational rehabilitation services.
The aims of the VRA are to:
- promote the professional knowledge, attitudes and skills of vocational rehabilitation practitioners
- provide a vehicle for the exchange of ideas and experience across the UK
- contribute towards the development of quality standards and training
- promote equal opportunities within our field of practice
- increase awareness and recognition of vocational rehabilitation throughout the world of work.
We do this by:
·                 Holding twice monthly Webinars
·                 Providing up to date resources and toolkits
·                 Signposting individuals to a wide variety of training, services and support
·                 Easy access to the industry’s Standards of Practice