Partnership Helps People Back to Work
Livingston Daily.com – November 26, 2011
Summary: Genesis House, based in Fowlerville, Michigan was in the news recently. The Clubhouse has developed successful partnerships with local businesses who support their transitional employment program. Genesis House member Brian Draganski suffers from bipolar disorder and, until October of this year, had been unemployed for six years. He was recently hired by Asahi Kasei Plastics through the transitional employment program. Genesis House’s partnership with Asahi Kasei began in 2005 and Draganski is the eighth Genesis House member to work at the company. Asahi Kasei recently received an award from the National Employment Expansion project in Washington, D.C. for its partnership with Genesis House. According to Bobbie Mazurek, safety and loss control specialist for Asahi Kasei, the Genesis House partnership works well. “Their work ethic is very strong; it’s a great asset for the company. It helps them and it helps us. We help each other in the program.” Genesis House director Lee Kellogg added, “Now they have a positive picture about adults with mental illness and what they’re capable of. It’s helpful in that way, too.” Genesis House also partners with Centurion Medical Products, T.J. Maxx and Old Navy and is always seeking new employment partners.
A recent study found that Clubhouse members were more likely to report being in recovery and having a higher quality of life compared with a group of participants from consumer run “drop in” centers ( Mowbray, Woodward, Holter, et al, 2009). Clubhouse members indicate that the Clubhouse provides valuable opportunities to pursue meaningful activities that help them address their mental health recovery at their own pace (Stoffel, 2008)…
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