Clubhouse Research

Project summary

A clubhouse/ Fountain House are typically described as a psychosocial rehabilitation program for adults experiencing mental health problems (members), but also as a “prevocational program” and an “intentional recovery community”. A clubhouse provide their members with the opportunities of participation in a “work-ordered-day”, and educational –, recreational- activities, as well as transitional employment. Members and staff run the clubhouses together in egalitarian ways. Several empirical research have explored the outcomes and characteristics of the clubhouse model. However, we need to know more about the subjective outcomes of clubhouses, across cultural contexts. Thus, the aims of this qualitative research project is to increase the knowledge of clubhouses as intentional communities that values work-mediated relationships within a context that provides structure while instilling values of work, positive expectations, hope, and a sense of empowerment. accordingly, we have designed the following three studies: 1) to explore and synthese what is known about both staffs, members and family experiences of the contributions of the clubhouse model across continents, 2) explore staffs` experiences of important components of working alongside with members in Clubhouses in the context of Norway and USA, 3) explore Norwegian members experience of social and vocational recovery within the clubhouse community.