Who we are
The “Clubhouse Amit” association (public association, non-profit organization) was established with the aim of improving the quality of life of people living with the consequences of a deep mental crisis, and promoting their integration into society at large in all areas of life. This is done through the development and implementation of the Clubhouse model in Israel. This model is international and advanced and is based on the philosophy of the consumer movement (nothing about us without us). The Clubhouse is a rehabilitative: occupational and social community, supervised and funded by the Ministry of Health, for people dealing with mental disabilities. The association’s clubhouse centers in Israel belong to the global clubhouse movement, which includes 330 clubhouse centers all over the world and operates under an international organization called clubhouse international. The association operates the unique model, with the support and assistance of the Ministry of Health and the National Insurance Institute, in three places in Israel: in Upper Nazareth, Tiberias and Jerusalem. The association’s activities have been accompanied over the years by many partners and supporters, including: the Ministry of Health, the National Insurance Special Enterprises Fund, the National Insurance Fund for the Development of Services for the Disabled, the Weinberg Foundation (USA), the Ted Arison Family Foundation, the Yad Hanadiv Foundation, Joseph and Christina Cassirer, the Sobel Foundation, the Ryan Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation and the State Legacy Committee, Check Point and more.
The model
Proven model evidence The Clubhouse is built and organized to support people who have experienced a mental crisis. During their path to integration at Clubhouse, members gain access to opportunities to rejoin the world of friendships, family, employment and education, and for their support services they individually need to continue their recovery process. Clubhouse provides a supportive environment for people whose lives have been severely disrupted due to their past mental crisis, and who need the support of others who are in the process of recovery and / or who believe they can recover.
The Clubhouse model is international and is officially recognized in the United States as a “research-based practice” –EBP– (מוכר ע”י ארגון sahmsa). The umbrella organization of all clubhouse settings in the world (clubhouse international) Accompanied by guidance and research, and adheres to work according to uniform standards that ensure adherence to values and loyalty to the model. Thus, the clubhouse is used everywhere in the world, and also in Israel, as a powerful and effective means of recovery and rehabilitation in the community.
membership
The Clubhouse is an organization built as a community, and the people who come and participate in it are members of the organization. Clubhouse membership is open to anyone who has a history of mental crisis. The idea of this membership is an essential and fundamental basic idea in the concept of the clubhouse: to be a member of the organization means that the person shares both ownership and responsibility for the success of this organization!
Being a member of an organization means belonging, integrating and adapting to a particular place, where you are always welcome and welcomed. For a person experiencing a mental crisis, these simple things are not taken for granted. In fact, reality is living in a constant sense of exclusion, incompatibility, isolation and rejection.
“Mentally injured”, “patient”, “customer”, “disabled”, “consumer”
All of these and more are terms that society uses in the context of people living with the consequences of a mental crisis.
These people are usually separated by these labels and defined by them as “needy” people and constitute a social burden.
At Clubhouse a person with a mental illness is perceived as a valued participant, as a colleague and as someone who has something to contribute to the rest of the community. Every person is an essential and critical part of the community, which is involved in meaningful work.
At Clubhouse every member is welcome, expected and needed, every member’s involvement is an important contribution to the community
Belonging
The day-to-day work is organized and done in a way that the member always knows he belongs to.
This is not difficult, because in fact working in a clubhouse does require the participation of members. The design of the clubhouse involves members in every aspect of its operation, and there is constantly more work to be done than can be done by the number of staff members employed at the clubhouse.
The skills, talents, creative ideas and effort of each of the members – all of these are necessary and are encouraged every day. Each member is invited at any time to participate in any work from the clubhouse: office tasks, reception, food services, working with suppliers, arranging travel, keeping in touch with friends, maintenance, research and statistics, building and promoting employment and education programs, cash management, budgets and more .
Clubhouse membership gives a person the opportunity to be a part of creating success for the community. At the same time he or she is getting the help and support they need to achieve personal successes and personal satisfaction.
Values
Clubhouse is built on the belief that every member has the potential to recover from the effects of the crises he or she experiences in leading a meaningful and fulfilling personal life and integrating into a wider society.
The members of the Clubhouse community are committed and dedicated to each other’s success, no matter how long it takes and how difficult it will be!
employment
Work is one of the basic ways of defining self-identity in our society today. It promotes and provides a solid foundation for significant and important personal growth and achievement.
The belief on which we operate is that normative opportunities in employment and society are an important part of a person’s path to recovery.
At Clubhouse, necessary work is being done to further the community’s development goals and details in volunteering. The work is chosen by the community out of its need to develop and give its members a quality of life and the right to self-fulfillment. The members and staff at Clubhouse as a community need to be busy prioritizing, organizing and accomplishing the tasks that are important to making the Clubhouse a success!
The clubhouse allows you to go to work in the free market, with a minimum wage or more, while offering a wide range of positions and jobs. There are 3 employment programs in the free market that allow each member, at any stage, to earn a decent living with support tailored to his needs. You can read more about employment here.
relations
מערכות יחסים – מרכיב הליבהThe clubhouse environment and clubhouse buildings have evolved in such a way as to ensure plenty of opportunities for human integration!
Friends also need staff and other friends to complete the work, but more importantly, the relationships that are created and developed through this work together – are the key component in a clubhouse relationship. Relationships between members and staff develop naturally as they work together shoulder to shoulder and perform the daily duties of the clubhouse. The work is done collaboratively at all levels, from building a budget plan, recruiting personnel and formulating an organizational strategy to cleaning the services or writing attendance reports.
opportunities
As part of the recovery process, sometimes community members do not know what they like to do and what they are good at, the way the clubhouse model reawakens their strengths and passion for life is through an inexhaustible variety of opportunities. These are opportunities for necessary and meaningful work from deep and egalitarian relationships. Every new member who comes to the community brings with him new strengths and diversifies the work in the community, so for example joining a friend or staff member with an interest in design may improve the home, good organizational skills will streamline community mechanisms, good access to languages can contribute to community education and so on. ‘. The wide variety allows everyone to find their place in the community and contribute to it, choose to be part of the work and experience a sense of ability and success.
education
Studies indicate education as a significant component in the rehabilitation and recovery process. Education enables interest, meaning, and the improvement of self and social image. Acquiring education helps members discover hidden talents and provides an opportunity to express personal potential, strengthens a sense of control over life, provides tools for dealing with multiple sources of information in modern society, contributes greatly to self-esteem and environmental appreciation.
Studies show that people with higher education have higher employment and rehabilitation potential. In modern society, it contributes a lot to self-esteem and environmental appreciation.
The Clubhouse offers members opportunities for learning indoors and outdoors. Learning within the Clubhouse (computers, Hebrew, English and any other initiative) is guided by friends, colleagues, staff and outside guests.
Accompaniment outside the Clubhouse includes mediation and assistance in integration in various programs to complete a high school diploma, various courses in the community, assistance in integration in higher education through supported education services and more.
On the collaboration between Jezreel Valley College and the Clubhouse:
In 2009/10, contact began with the college through a project of members participating in college courses as free listeners.
The college accepted the opportunity and even gave a 50% discount on tuition and registration fees.
Members of the “Clubhouse Amit” community took part in the project:
“I felt really elated, every time I went to study. It was significant for me to be in the company of young people. ”
“I found an area that interested me, I discovered abilities in myself and I was able to see the processes that happened to me during my studies, which also affected other areas of life. Today I am more confident in myself and my choice and feel that I need to develop my abilities. ”