Returning to the workforce following brain injury is an important step in rehabilitation. Successful employment is achieved through good partnerships between employers, people with a brain injury, their families, clinicians and vocational service providers
The Vocational Intervention Program [VIP] is a new approach, designed to achieve better work outcomes for people with brain injury .
Specialised support is provided at no cost to employers or clients participating in the
Vocational Intervention Program and insurance for work training placements is also included .
The components of the VIP are :
INTERVENTION SERVICES
FAST TRACK assists people following brain injury to return to their employer .
NEW TRACK assists people to discover what future work they can do by undertaking unpaid work training placements for up to 12 weeks .
BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS
Close collaboration and sharing of knowledge and expertise across health and vocational service partners.
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION
The Vocational Intervention Program is being evaluated to determine if the program is effective and if so, how it can be extended to other regions of NSW .

Fast Track will bring together the vocational service provider with the employee early after injury to assist the employer and co-workers to make the return to work process as easy as possible .
Benefits of Fast Track for the employer are:
• A coordinated approach for managing the return to work
• Expert assessment of the job the employee held in the past, and tasks that may be suitable for a return to work
• Development of a graded return to work plan with advice on hours and days of work
• Information and feedback with the work team .
Benefits of Fast Track for the employee are:
• Early contact with the employer and planning the return to work
• A flexible approach and tailoring the work plan to suit each person ' s abilities
• Monitoring and upgrading the return to work plan to achieve work goals
• Establish supports and strategies to best manage work tasks.
The vocational service provider will work with each person to find a suitable job role and host employer for a 12 week unpaid work training placement.
Benefits of New Track for the host employer are:
• A workplace assessment to identify suitable duties for the work training placement
• On-site training and support for the duration of the placement
• Gaining extra productivity by hosting a work training placement
• Review and upgrade of duties and hours
• Work training insurance coverage for the duration of the placement.
Benefits of New Track for the person are:
• Flexibility in tailoring the placement to suit each person ' s abilities and vocational goals
• Strategies and tips to make the process as easy as possible for everyone involved
• An opportunity :
-to explore what work they want to do
- to prepare for employment
-to develop and upgrade skills in work situations .

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METROPOLITAN
SYDNEY
NORTH COAST NSW
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services :
Coffs Harbour : [02] 6659 2300
Port Macquarie : [02] 6584 3300
Ballina : [02]6620 6361
Fast Track and New Track provided by:
Coffs Harbour Employment Support Service
[CHESS] : [02] 6691 9333
WESTERN NSW
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Services :
Bathurst : [02]6330 5114
Dubbo : [02] 6841 8559
Fast Track and New Track provided by:
Break Thru People Solutions : 1800 184 612
SYDNEY REGION
(city, northern, eastern and western suburbs of Sydney and the Blue Mountains)
Bra i n Injury Rehabilitat i on Services:
Ryde : [02] 9809 9000
Westmead : [02] 9845 7941
Fast Track provided by:
Keystone Professionals : [02] 9427 3030
New Track provided by :
Break Thru People Solutions : 1800 184 612
• Agency for ClinicalInnovation
• B r eak Thru People Solutions
• CHESS
• Ingham Institute for Applied Medical
Research
• John Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation
Research
• Keystone Professionals
• Lifetime Care and Support Authority
• Motor Accidents Authority
• NSW Health
• WorkCover NSW