Employment – Provides Purpose & Meaning

What is one of the first things you talk about when you meet someone?  Usually it’s about your job or what you’re doing with your life.  It’s not unusual for someone who struggles with his or her mental illness to not be able to work.  Can you imagine being in a public scenario and not having an answer to how you spend your time?  It is humiliating and just reinforces things aren’t right – so what do people do?  Sadly they often isolate.

Dishwashing – sounds like a breeze to snap up that dishwashing job – anyone can do it right?  It requires endurance, speed and stamina.  Customer Service positions always require interaction with people.  How does this work for someone with anxiety – in short it doesn’t.  Your hands might start to shake; you can’t speak because you don’t know the answer to the question the customer just asked.  You feel inadequate and shameful.  Your heart pounds til it feels it could explode, you can’t breathe.  You don’t return to that job the next day – it is easier to isolate than to face another day

Maybe you can’t even land that job in the first place because you have never worked, therefore you don’t have a resume.  Maybe there are large unexplained gaps of employment.  Maybe you have trouble with the interview – a lot of people do.  Add social anxiety to that and it’s like climbing a mountain.

Entry-level jobs are not easy if you don’t have the right support.  This is where Clubhouse really excels. First they help you feel comfortable being around others and building up your stamina in the ‘work ordered day’.  They work with employers and build partnerships so you can work in transitional employment  (TE is fully supported) when you are ready to work.

The support of the Clubhouse is there for you after your shift so you can trouble shoot with staff and peers.  Staff will liaise with the employer and be your support. You don’t have to go home alone and worry about how that shift went and decide to quit.

Clubhouse will take a full-time job and break it down into two half-day positions.  Clubhouse is creative and their number one goal is to see people get back into the community and lead happy and productive lives.  This is my wish for people who are alone and struggling right now.  Let’s not wait until people are in dire positions – losing their family, homelessness and needing emergency services.

I hope you will join us to make this happen!