Perspectives on the Standards

This Standard creates an egalitarian clubhouse community. The words, "generalist roles" mean that staff is required to work in all areas of the clubhouse. Staff members may have special interests and areas of competence, but because they are familiar with all units, they can substitute for each other when needed. By cutting down on specialization, this Standard streamlines the bureaucracy of the clubhouse. We members can deal with many staff persons when we have questions or problems, and we can choose the staff person with whom we feel the most comfortable. No staff member can say, "I’m the housing specialist—that’s not my job." This Standard also takes staff off the pedestal of professionalism and reduces the aura of infallibility that surrounds specialists in the mental health field.

Staff members rotate weekend and evening shifts, so we get to see all colleagues, even if we only come to the clubhouse on weekends and evenings. Another related aspect of this Standard is that staff members do not have outside jobs that take away from their time at the clubhouse. Staff members need to have the flexibility to fill in at a T.E. and to sometimes stay late, when needed. Staff members do not use their time at the clubhouse to work on outside projects or interests.

This Standard includes all staff in case management, placement management, unit-based work, and recreational programming. As a clubhouse grows, some staff will not be as "unit-based" as others, and some staff will be hired to spend most of their time on specific tasks (i.e. accounting, fund development). But the Standard expresses a clear preference for staff members who are willing to be responsive to all phases of clubhouse operation, and all aspects of members’ needs. It favors the value of responsiveness over the value of specialization.