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There was a feeling of high energy and enthusiasm all week long as over 600 participants from as far away as Nepal and Sri Lanka met colleagues from Norway, Amsterdam, Ohio, California and so many other Clubhouse communities from around the world. Aside from a wide range of exciting learning opportunities, the welcome reception, anniversary party, gala banquet and special trip to the Red Rocks Amphitheater made for an exhausting but very fulfilling Seminar!

We thank our host Clubhouses, Frontier House and Spirit Crossing Clubhouse, for their spectacular work in partnering with us to host the Clubhouse International World Seminar! Comments from participants of our last Clubhouse International Seminar:

• “I stopped counting how many times I was brought to tears.”
• “Moving and inspiring.”
• “Best conference I’ve attended… ever!”
• “The interactions from all over the world taught me so much and I feel like I have colleagues and friends I can reach out to for help and encouragement as we grow our Clubhouse.”
• “I am so proud to be part of this movement.”
• “Words do not do this Seminar justice.”
• “Amazing! Life changing!”

Click here to download and view the Seminar program.

World Seminar 2015 Plenary Speeches. Below are the links to all the plenary speeches that were presented during the Seminar. These speeches covered topics of interest relating to the changing world of mental health, including creating community, promoting healthy lifestyles, employment programs, reaching young people living with mental illness and much more. Click on the relevant link below to download and view the plenary speech of your choice.

Opening Session

• David Koven (Frontier House): Welcome to World Seminar 2015!

Looking Ahead: Imagining the Clubhouse of Tomorrow

• Joel Corcoran, Executive Director, Clubhouse International: Looking Ahead: Imagining the Clubhouse of Tomorrow
• Beverly Pringle, PhD, Chief, Global Mental Health Research, National Institute of Mental Health: Research to Improve Lives
• Group Presentation (Anita Brix, Clubhouse International), Maria Agnieszka Christiansen (Fontaenehuset Frederikshavn, Denmark), Leif Oldert and Deanna Tymofichuk (Alliance House, Utah)

The Burgeoning Clubhouse Movement: Adventures in Clubhouse Expansion Around the World

• Moderator: Jack Yatsko, Chief Operating Officer, Clubhouse International
• Rekha Aththidiye, Apegedara Clubhouse, Clinical Psychologist, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Eva Yau, Clubhouse International Honorary Consultant, Sichaun, People’s Republic of China
• Ashley Liu, Hope Clubhouse, People’s Republic of China (via video)
• Matthew Vorderstrasse, Compass House, Oregon
• Niamh Coady, Phoenix Clubhouse, Republic of Ireland

Transforming Lives, Transforming Clubhouses: The Power of Accreditation!

• Moderator: Lee Kellogg, Clubhouse International
• Colleen McKay, MA, CAGS, Assistant Professor & Director, Program for Clubhouse Research, U. Mass Medical School, Massachusetts
• Robby Vorspan, Clubhouse International
• Gunilla Byström, Fountain House/Stockholm, Sweden, Anders Rudström, Fountain House/Stockholm, Sweden
• Rich Meyer, Elkhart County Clubhouse, Indiana
• Andrew Borntrager, Elkhart County Clubhouse, Indiana

Changing Our Employment Mindset: Raising Our Expectations

• Moderator: Ruth Osterman, Genesis Club, Massachusetts
• Colleen Cann MacKenzie, Crossroads Cape Breton, Canada
• Joseph LeBlanc, High Hopes Clubhouse, Maine
• Donnamarie Randolph, Magnolia Clubhouse,Ohio
• Nina Galta and Christian Haugaard, Fontenehuset i Stavanger, Norway

Becoming Part of the Larger Mental Health Solution

• Moderator: Steven Manning, The Carriage House, Indiana
• Marjukka Friman-Reinikka, Helsingin Klubitalo, Finland
• Maresa Ness, Mosaic Clubhouse, England
• Criss Habal-Brosek, Progress Place, Canada
• Carrie Shaw, Progress Place Board member, Canada
• Elliott Steele, Vincent House Board member, Florida

Click here for Application. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Fellows will integrate state of the art management techniques with the ideals and approaches to social practice originated at Fountain House and practiced in clubhouses throughout the world. The Fellowship is open to clubhouse directors around the world. Applicants who have been recently hired as clubhouse directors are encouraged to apply.

Applicants are expected to have nonprofit work experience and to have a Master’s Degree or be matriculated in a Master’s Degree program.

The Fellowship is divided into four phases during the year, which requires participants to be away from their clubhouses for a total of approximately one month’s time. A stipend will be awarded to Fellows, as well as free travel to Fountain House and housing accommodation in our guesthouse.

The Fellowship educates participants in current state of the art nonprofit management techniques within standards-based practice. Fellows will be expected to focus on the following:

• promoting initiative and charisma in staff;
• practicing distributive budgeting techniques;
• demonstrating motivational inspiration, both in writing and speaking;
• fostering a collaborative style of leadership;
• initiating advocacy in the community on behalf of the membership in partnership with allied agencies;
• applicability of social media.

The program facilitates immediate access to senior level coaches who are skilled in various related domains in accordance with Albert Bandura’s observation that individuals learn best when encouraged by a significant partner. Ongoing support for graduates will be maintained through the use of social networking.

Click here to download the application. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Rivera, Director of Human Resources & Veteran’s Affairs, Fountain House, Inc.
425 West 47th Street
New York, New York 10036
jrivera@fountainhouse.org

In 2008, Michigan had one, lone Accredited Clubhouse. By the end of 2016, we expect that number to jump to 20 Accredited Clubhouses. And this is just the beginning!

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has taken notice of the dramatic improvements they have witnessed in Clubhouse outcomes in those Clubhouses that have achieved Clubhouse International Accreditation. As a result, they have made Accreditation a requirement for all Clubhouse programs in Michigan.

Clubhouse International, MDHHS and Clubhouse Michigan are partnering to ensure success. Our expectation is that the number of Accredited Clubhouses in Michigan will double to 30 in two years, and grow to 40 by December 2018, which is the MDHHS deadline for full Accreditation of all Michigan Clubhouses! We sincerely thank MDHHS for their support.

Clubhouse International has just received a grant from the hope & grace fund, a project of New Venture Fund in partnership with the global women’s skincare brand philosophy, inc. We greatly appreciate this grant, which will help us conduct research to further our understanding of the barriers to women seeking integrated healthcare solutions, including mental health.

We are pleased to announce that the Clubhouse International Board of Directors has approved Fontenehuset i Oslo in Norway as our 12th International Training Center.

Fontenehuset i Oslo is a long-standing Accredited Clubhouse that offers a full range of high quality opportunities for its members to access employment, education, community supports, social programs, and community integration. The beautiful Clubhouse is in the process of completing an extensive renovation, further enhancing its space.

Norway is poised to develop many new Clubhouses over the next several years. Fontenehuset i Oslo is exceptionally well positioned to assist with the training needs of these developing Clubhouses, as well as to help meet the increasingly growing demands for Clubhouse training across the globe. Fontenehuset i Oslo will begin training in 2017. For more information please contact training@fontenehuset.no.

In cooperation with Fountain House, NY and Genesis Club, MA, Goteborgsfontanen hosted “Engaging Young Adults into the Clubhouse,” a four-day training in May. The workshop trains Clubhouses to better engage young adults and addresses their needs for living in the community.

Five Clubhouses from Sweden, Finland, Norway, The Netherlands and Denmark participated in the training. A team from Genesis was present on-site and training teams from Fountain House and Genesis participated in the discussions via video conference. The feedback from this training was very positive and we look forward to more young adult training options for our Clubhouses.

“You can´t take your eyes off of trying to keep young adults engaged in the clubhouse, otherwise they will drop out.” ~ Isabell Svedberg