Employment and the Clubhouse

Clubhouses are founded on the belief that rehabilitation for people who are working to recover from the effects of mental illness is greatly facilitated by meaningful work, including paid employment.  Clubhouse philosophy includes a belief that relationships, developed in the clubhouse as people work side by side with each other in the running of the clubhouse are useful in helping clubhouse members as they navigate the world of paid employment.

The cornerstone of clubhouse programming is a three-tiered approach to helping people with mental illness gain employment, Transitional Employment (TE), Supported Employment (SE), and Independent Employment (IE).  In each type of employment, clubhouse staff supports the member through the process of securing and maintaining gainful employment.  Perhaps, most importantly, in each type of employment the member is an employee of the company, earns prevailing wages, conducts the work at the employer's place of business, and receives a paycheck directly from the company.

Transitional Employment (TE) is one of the building blocks of an effective clubhouse employment program and is used as a stepping-stone to long-term employment success.  This tier offers the most structured support.  TE placements are time limited, part-time, entry-level positions that have consistent job duties and schedules and are managed by the clubhouse in an attempt to give any member who has a desire to work the opportunity to try. The clubhouse staff learns the job and trains the member until all parties (the employer, the clubhouse member, and the clubhouse staff) agree that the member is able to work this job independently. In addition, absentee coverage is guaranteed and free of charge to the employer.  The member is an employee of the company and is paid prevailing wages.  Generally, transitional employment placements last for six to nine months at which point the member can work another TE or move onto Supported or Independent Employment.  Though TE placements are often entry-level jobs, many clubhouses have TE jobs which include complicated work, including switch-board and mail room jobs, which require longer training periods and once trained the employee may keep the job for one year or longer.  Generally TE jobs are Monday – Friday and the hours of the jobs mirror the hours that the clubhouse is conducting its work ordered day, generally 8:30 am– 5pm. 

Supported Employment (SE) jobs are developed in partnership between the clubhouse member, the clubhouse and the employer and are essentially the member’s own job.  SE jobs are not time limited; they may be part-time or full-time positions. The difference between TE and SE jobs are that on SE the clubhouse staff has a relationship with the employer and provides support to the employer and the member as needed, but the clubhouse does not provide absence supports that may include researching needed training, applying for school and financial aide, tutoring and assistance with competing course work coverage.  

Independent Employment (IE) jobs are a member’s own job and are not time limited.  Members may have obtained these jobs with or without clubhouse assistance.  If the clubhouse helped the member obtain the job, the clubhouse generally would consider it an independent job when the member has not needed clubhouse support for one year.  Clubhouses provide a variety of supports to members who wish to gain an Independent Employment job.  This support includes assistance in developing a resume, conducting a job search, dressing and interviewing for jobs and assistance with taxes and benefit/health care issues.  The clubhouse also helps members in preparing for a career via employment and educational supports that may include researching needed training, applying for school and financial aide, tutoring and assistance with competing course work.   

(Click here to access full FY05 Employment Statistics)