Enabling careers, autonomy, and prosperity: using community organizing and building approaches to improve the educational outcomes of people with mental illness.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this regional initiative was to develop access to educational opportunities for people with mental illness with a view to ultimately advancing their career prospects.


METHODS
The initiative engaged a broad range of community stakeholders including people with mental illness, their families, educators, mental health service providers and, policy analysts.


METHODS
The initiative used community organizing and development strategies to develop solutions to problems related to access to education.


RESULTS
The initiative was successful in mobilizing community participation, identifying priorities, and translating these priorities into action plans. Working groups of community stakeholders engaged in initiatives related to improving access to resources to support education, developing training for teachers in secondary schools, creating peer support systems, and developing a pilot supported education program as a partnership between a college and mental health service.


CONCLUSIONS
Organized community building provided a foundation for a broad range of initiatives meant to improve access to educational opportunities for people with mental illness. Evaluation efforts will need to focus on the extent to which these initiatives ultimately ledto positive changes in the careers of people with mental illness.
School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. krupat@queensu.ca
Terry
T
Krupa
Glenda
G
Carter
D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D010379:Peer Group; D016730:Program Development; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D014829:Vocational Education; D055815:Young Adult