Engaging Members in Clubhouse Activities: Choices, Options, Coffee, and Relationships

by Jennifer Mitchell

Progress Place has proven to be the key to move me from a confused and unsettling way of life to a more meaningful and happier mode of living. I believe that the main ingredient in the secret of success in Progress Place is the relationships -- of staff to member, member to staff, staff to staff, and member to member.

When I came to Progress Place I was living in a co-op with some people, but I had not gained any motivation to do anything with my life. I didn't know what to do! Progress Place offered me a choice, as opposed to the factories, workshops, and piecework which had been my life up until that point. I would like to share with you a quote from a small book entitled Thoughts on Relationships: "If you have not exposed yourself to choice, you may wonder if you are satisfied with what you've got!" I believe in the truth of this. At my orientation at Progress Place, I met a girl friend from years back, and this friend gave me hope that I would find some good at Progress Place. This relationship was the spark I needed, and the tables started to turn to my advantage. As I entered into the life of the clubhouse, there were other members who also helped me to realize that I had choices and options in my life. All of these new relationships helped me build my self esteem to the point where I became motivated to begin to do things around the clubhouse.

At first, I mostly did unit reports. I quickly became rather bored with this. One day, Shirley, a staff member, noticed my frustration and suggested that I work on the birthday card list on a brand new computer. I didn't really want to but I said I would anyway, because Shirley had asked me. But I had never worked on a computer before, and I was scared to try something new. However, I soon got caught up in it and even spent many of my breaks learning this new skill.

One day while doing a card, I discovered that I wanted to improve it with a picture. I found a program called MacPaint on the system. The cards became more creative and the members found them more attractive. Still, I did not feel too confident. I needed something else to do so I started reading the poetry book which we publish at Progress Place. It was very creative but the poems had no pictures to go with them. Shirley asked me to come up with some illustrations from MacPaint, which gave me the opportunity to use my illustrating talent to make the book more attractive and sellable. My friend Carol collaborated with me, preparing poems for the book while I worked on the illustrations. We then continued our shared venture by starting a song book which enabled us to continue our new found enterprise. Those books are still around for members to read today. All of this greatly increased my self esteem, which brings to mind another quote from the same book: "If you never take a chance, you may be safe, but probably bored and boring."

I took a T.E.P. for six months as a baker's assistant. While I was there the baker taught the staff worker on the placement, and me, how to bake and decorate a cake.

It was difficult at first, but after a short while, I caught on. Unfortunately, the staff member did not seem to grasp the basics quite as quickly. The chocolate on her decoration hardened, and she desperately tried to rescue it by using a hair dryer to melt and reform it. This had the sorry result of making things worse. We shared a good laugh at her experience, and the next time she came to me for help! I also helped the other members who worked at this placement, which seemed to increase both their and my confidence even further. A bunch of us baked a cake at the clubhouse, and everyone said that it was so beautiful it would be a shame to eat it. When we share what we know with each other, we all grow and enrich ourselves. When this occurs, motivation is greatly enhanced and increased.

One of our biggest challenges at Progress Place is to get some of the more shy and withdrawn members to come out of the smoking room and get involved doing something in the clubhouse. A good first step often has been for either a member or staff worker to invite them out to share a coffee. This could be the beginning of a relationship which might possibly make it easier to later approach these members, and ask them to help out with some chore around the clubhouse. When they realize that they are really needed and appreciated, they may begin to feel motivated to help out on a regular basis. Some members love music, and Progress Place has started our own radio station. This has already proven effective in motivating a number of members who previously spent a major portion of their time sitting in the smoking room.

My life has really been enriched by being a member of Progress Place. Since joining the clubhouse in 1985, my life has taken a 180 degree turn for the better. I still have my illness and my ups and downs, but I have found a much more creative way of dealing with myself. My self-esteem has increased to the point where I feel confident about accomplishing most of the things I set out to do. I have made many lasting friendships here at Progress Place. The members and staff are caring individuals who willingly take time to offer each other support, and I am proud to count myself as one of these very special people. We have one of the most hard working directors at Progress Place, Brenda Singer, who really has been and continues to be a major driving force behind the success of our clubhouse. I would like to end with one more quote from the same book, which is dear to my heart: "If you really value me you will only want to add to my life."

Jennifer Mitchell is a member of Progress Place in Toronto, Canada.