Perspectives on the Standards

The clubhouse movement's basic philosophy is that work is important, so we strive to involve all members in necessary tasks. By coming to our clubhouse on a regular basis, we develop the endurance and concentration that we will need in order to be successful in any kind of paid employment. Traditionally, we were segregated into programs where the job skills needed were minimal and job growth was not encouraged or even allowed for. The idea that we were capable of working independently was not acknowledged. The clubhouse movement has helped change the way society views the employability of the adults who have experienced mental illness—and we celebrate that change! At a Transitional Employment or Independent Employment position, we are not one of those "special" people—we are just another valued employee.

If our clubhouses provided in-house businesses, segregated clubhouse enterprises or sheltered workshops, this would shift our focus inward, away from the larger world. The clubhouse is not designed to be a complete world for the mentally ill, further segregating us from life. For many of us, the clubhouse is a launching pad into a newly productive life, and we would be cheating ourselves if we would only offer "sheltered" employment to our members.

This Standard is also wonderful because it mandates that our clubhouses offer Transitional Employment and support in obtaining independent employment. A clubhouse without these possibilities is not a real clubhouse.