IPS Grow Awards 2026

To nominate, Click Here.

Recognising an outstanding IPS practitioner who demonstrates outstanding outcomes and excellence in delivering person-centred support.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to IPS principles, placing people’s goals, strengths and choices at the centre of their support.
• Outstanding support that helps people move towards and achieve their employment aspirations.
• Examples of outstanding outcomes of supporting people into employment.
• The ability to build effective relationships with employers, clinical/treatment teams and wider partners to create opportunities.
• Creativity, persistence and problem-solving in supporting people to succeed.
• A positive impact on colleagues, services or the wider IPS community through sharing learning, supporting others or championing good practice.
• Evidence of making a meaningful difference to the lives of the people they support.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the nominee’s impact wherever possible.

To nominate, Click Here.

Celebrating an IPS team that has shown exceptional collaboration, quality, and commitment to delivering positive outcomes.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• Outstanding teamwork and collaboration across the IPS team, working together to deliver the best possible support and outcomes for people using the service.
• A shared commitment to IPS principles, ensuring people’s goals, strengths and choices remain at the centre of the service.
• Examples of how the team has collectively contributed to positive employment outcomes and high-quality support.
• Strong partnership working with employers, clinical/treatment teams and wider stakeholders to create opportunities and strengthen delivery.
• Innovation, adaptability and problem-solving in overcoming challenges and continuously improving the service.
• A positive team culture that supports colleagues, shares learning and promotes good practice across the IPS community.
• Evidence of the team’s wider impact on the service, organisation or local community.
• Clear examples of how the team’s work has made a meaningful difference to the lives of the people they support.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the team’s impact wherever possible.

To nominate, Click Here.

Recognising a leader who inspires others, drives improvement, and creates a positive culture that enables IPS services to thrive.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to IPS principles, ensuring high-quality, person-centred support is embedded across the service.
• Inspirational and inclusive leadership that motivates others, builds confidence and creates a positive team culture.
• Evidence of driving service improvement, quality development or innovation that has strengthened IPS delivery.
• The ability to support, develop and retain staff through effective supervision, coaching, reflective practice and workforce planning.
• Strong collaboration with clinical/treatment teams, employers, commissioners, partners and wider stakeholders to create the conditions for IPS to thrive.
• A focus on outcomes, access, inclusion and continuous learning, using data and feedback to inform decisions and improve support.
• Resilience, integrity and compassion in leading through challenges while keeping people who use IPS services at the centre.
• A positive impact on colleagues, services or the wider IPS community through sharing learning, championing good practice and supporting others to succeed.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the nominee’s leadership impact wherever possible, including how their leadership has supported people, staff, service quality and outcomes.

To nominate, Click Here.

Awarded to an individual, team, or service that has introduced a creative approach to improving IPS delivery, access, or outcomes.

Nominees should demonstrate:

1. A creative or innovative approach that has improved IPS delivery, access, quality or outcomes.
2. The ability to identify a challenge or opportunity and develop a practical solution that makes a positive difference.
3. Evidence of impact for people accessing IPS, IPS teams, employers, partner organisations or wider services.
4. A willingness to test new ideas, learn from experience and adapt approaches where needed.
5. Collaboration with colleagues, partners, people with lived experience or stakeholders to design and implement improvements.
6. The potential for the innovation to be sustained, scaled or shared with others across the IPS community.
7. A commitment to the values and principles of IPS, ensuring innovation remains focused on improving opportunities and outcomes for the people IPS supports.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the innovation and its impact wherever possible.

To nominate, Click Here.

Celebrating effective integration and collaboration between IPS services and partners that has strengthened support and improved outcomes for people.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• Outstanding collaboration between IPS services and one or more partners to improve support for people accessing IPS.
• Strong, effective relationships built on shared goals, trust and a commitment to positive outcomes.
• Evidence of successful integration across services, organisations or sectors, resulting in a more joined-up experience for the people being supported.
• A clear impact on access to IPS, service quality, employment outcomes or wider wellbeing outcomes.
• Joint problem-solving, innovation or service improvements that have addressed challenges and strengthened delivery.
• A commitment to sharing expertise, learning and resources to achieve better outcomes than could be delivered independently.
• Contributions that have strengthened local systems, influenced practice or created opportunities for wider collaboration.
• Evidence of the partnership making a meaningful difference to the lives of the people it supports.

Joint nominations are encouraged, recognising the collective contribution of IPS services and their partners. We particularly welcome nominations that showcase how organisations have worked together to achieve outcomes that would not have been possible alone.

Shortlisted partnerships will be invited to celebrate together at the awards ceremony, recognising the shared commitment, leadership and collaboration behind their success.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the partnership’s impact wherever possible.

To nominate, Click Here.

Recognising outstanding employer engagement that has created meaningful job opportunities and strengthened partnerships between IPS services and employers.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• A strong belief in the power of employer engagement to develop opportunities for clients in IPS based on their preferences.
• A focus on relationship-building as opposed to vacancy-seeking.
• An ability to develop long-term relationships with employers across a variety of sectors and roles, demonstrated through a diverse portfolio of employer partnerships.
• A proactive approach to developing and refining their practice in this area, ensuring that it is both strengths-based and solution-focused.
• Contributing to the overall employer engagement strategy of the team/service.
• A record of placing numerous clients into work through their employer engagement practice.
• A record of their relationships with employers enabling clients to thrive in work.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the nominee’s impact wherever possible, including how their employer engagement has impacted the outcomes for people they work with.

To nominate, Click Here.

Recognising someone early in their IPS career who is already making a significant contribution and showing exceptional potential.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• A significant positive impact on the people they support.
• Exceptional potential and development early in their IPS career.
• A strong commitment to IPS values and fidelity principles.
• A willingness to go above and beyond in supporting individuals and their team.
• Excellent relationship-building skills with key stakeholders.
• Creativity and initiative in overcoming challenges.
• A positive contribution to their team, service, or wider IPS community.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of the nominee’s impact wherever possible, demonstrating how they have made a positive difference to the people they support, contributed to their team or service, and shown exceptional potential early in their IPS career.

To nominate, Click Here.

Celebrating an individual who has used their lived experience to shape, improve, and champion IPS services.

Nominees could demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to developing the skills and judgement needed to share lived experience strategically and appropriately.
• Outstanding support given to inspire people on their IPS journey.
• Examples of great outcomes where walking alongside a person on their IPS journey has had significant impact.
• Development of the skills required to lead with vulnerability.
• The ability to build relationships with external partners leveraging personal experiences to build trust and rapport.
• Demonstration of the ability to reflect on and learn from practice.
• A positive impact on colleagues, integrated team members or the wider IPS community through sharing learning and championing the voice of the client in their work.
• Evidence of creative work to change ‘hearts and minds’ to encourage referrals, access or to influence the quality of support given to people.
• Supporting conversations to drive the setting of inspirational and aspirational goals for all clients.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of how the nominee’s approach has made a positive impact on the lives and outcomes for people.   

Note: The definition of lived experience can be applied broadly and refer to experience of a living with a MH condition, physical or learning disability, managing drug and alcohol use, race and culture or other personal experience that has helped an IPS practitioner make a difference to the outcomes and lives of others.

To nominate, Click Here.

Recognising an individual who has gone above and beyond to ensure IPS is on the agenda for their MH trust or D&A treatment service.

• A strong commitment to championing IPS and promoting its value across their organisation.
• Evidence of raising the profile of IPS with senior leaders, clinical or treatment teams, commissioners, or wider stakeholders.
• Success in embedding employment as a core part of recovery conversations.
• The ability to influence hearts and minds, helping colleagues and partners understand the benefits of IPS.
• Outstanding partnership working that has strengthened integration between IPS and clinical or treatment services.
• Examples of creating opportunities for IPS to be discussed, promoted, or prioritised through meetings, steering groups, organisational forums, events, or communications.
• Persistence and creativity in overcoming barriers, misconceptions, or resistance to IPS.
• A measurable or observable impact, such as increased referrals, stronger leadership support, improved integration, greater awareness of IPS, or increased investment in the service.
• A positive influence on colleagues, services, or the wider IPS community through advocacy, collaboration, and sharing good practice.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of how the nominee has successfully championed IPS and contributed to its growth, visibility, or sustainability within their organisation.

To nominate, Click Here.

Celebrating an individual who has achieved something remarkable in their employment journey through IPS. This award recognises people who have demonstrated determination, resilience, and commitment to their goals, inspiring others through their achievements and the positive changes they have made in their lives.

Nominees might:

• • Have secured and sustained paid employment that is meaningful to them.
  • Have overcome significant personal, health, social, or employment-related challenges.
  • Have demonstrated exceptional determination, resilience, or personal growth.
  • Have achieved goals that have positively impacted their confidence, wellbeing, independence, or quality of life.
  • Serve as an inspiring example of what can be achieved through ambition, perseverance, and the support of IPS.
  • Have used their experiences to encourage, support, or inspire others on their employment journey.

To nominate, Click Here.

Recognising leadership, practice, or initiatives that promote equity, inclusion, and belonging within IPS services and communities.

Nominees could demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging, ensuring IPS services are accessible, welcoming and responsive to the diverse needs of the communities they serve.
• Leadership, practice or initiatives that have helped address inequalities and improve outcomes for underrepresented or marginalised groups.
• A clear commitment to advancing race equity, including actions that tackle barriers, amplify diverse voices and promote fair and inclusive opportunities.
• Meaningful engagement with people with lived experience, communities and partner organisations to inform and improve practice.
• Evidence of creating positive cultural change within a team, service or organisation.
• A proactive approach to challenging discrimination, reducing health and employment inequalities, and promoting inclusive practice.
• Examples of measurable impact, learning or improvements resulting from the work.
• A positive influence on colleagues, services or the wider IPS community through sharing learning, championing good practice or driving change.

Nominations should include specific examples and evidence of impact wherever possible.