Perspectives on the Standards

Working in our clubhouses gives members something more basic than "job-specific training." People cannot thrive in a work environment, at any level, without self-worth, purpose and confidence. Clubhouses provide the arena for us to develop those qualities. Since our clubhouses do not train for specific jobs, and we are all generalists, we are free to try different tasks. Working at clubhouses, we discover what we want to do with our lives. Because we as a clubhouse are not narrowly focused on specific skills, the clubhouse movement can serve a wide variety of people. Members’ goals vary enormously. Some members work at the clubhouse because it helps increase their confidence in their ability to seek paid employment. Others work for the satisfaction of a job well done; in this instance the work is its own reward. Every colleague finds his or her own niche in the work of the clubhouse—including those members who are not interested in paid employment.