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The New York Clubhouse Coalition (NYCC) is excited about the outcome of its first employment celebration. The event was held to honor employers for hiring clubhouse members and to celebrate the successes of individuals who have overcome the effects of mental illness to return to work and lead fulfilling, more independent lives.

Member and employer speakers both emphasized the successes that can be achieved if people with mental illnesses are offered supports on and off the job. Junior Gordon, mailroom supervisor for the law firm Baker Mckenzie, which has worked with dozens of clubhouse members over the past 15 years, reminded the audience that businesses benefit from working with people who are motivated to work, and are not just being charitable. To City Voices he said, "Illness is not something they brought upon themselves and I think everyone deserves a chance in life to better themselves." The testimony of some of the 18 employers being honored attested to this point.

People with disabilities across the city are integrating into the workplace through the intensively supported Transitional Employment (T.E.) programs run by clubhouses. While the goal of clubhouses is to assist their members in attaining independence though employment and other life goals, the T.E. program is seen as a crucial first step.

The NYCC plans to hold an employment celebration every year and will be working to improve the data collection processes of individual clubhouses. They plan to show the effectiveness of the clubhouse model and the transitional employment system through their employment survey. Their data for the year 2003 shows that 289 employers employed 826 clubhouse members in 1700 separate job slots. These members earned a combined $1,897,342!

Fountain House clubhouse member Cecil Williams said, along with medication, the struggle to hold down a job helped him in his recovery. Sometimes he didn't think he could do the tasks, but he felt proud of himself for overcoming those obstacles. He encouraged consumers to "use the clubhouse model to gain employment."

Single mother and Venture House clubhouse member Annette Lopez started a T.E. as office assistant with the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest. After six months, they hired her as a full-time administrative assistant and receptionist. She attributed being hired to her skills and determination. She said it's not all about the money; it's something to do rather than sit at home. Formerly an accountant before she got sick, she told City Voices, "The challenge for me is whether I can continue to work and be financially stable—it's like starting all over again."

"People with mental illnesses are providing New York companies with valuable workers" said Blaise Sackett, Director of the NYCC, which has an active membership of over 3,500 people among the 14 clubhouses in New York City. "Clubhouses are supporting thousands of people with mental illness as they play important roles in their communities as workers, leaders, friends, parents and voters."