Put 36 adults with mental illness back to work

Summary

Anixter Center will provide paid work experience and vocational training to 36 low-income Chicago adults with mental illnesses and other disabilities to address the 60-90% unemployment rate among people with mental illness and support their right to competitive employment and self-sufficiency.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The unemployment rate for people with mental illness is extremely high. 60-90% of Americans with a mental illness do not work, receive public aid, and have low incomes. Most people with mental illness want to work but need training to be employed in the community.

How will this project solve this problem?

Anixter Center will respond to this problem by providing 36 adults with mental illness with basic job skills, supervised work experience in a canteen setting, and vocational training and placement for those seeking competitive employment.

Potential Long Term Impact

Giving adults with mental illness fundamental workplace skills such as resume-building and interviewing will promote job placement and retention, increased self-sufficiency, decreased reliance on public aid, and will help participants sustain optimum mental health by building the confidence and self-esteem needed to contribute productively in the community. One in five of greater Chicago's 9.2 million residents lives with a mental illness.

Project Message

"Working in the canteen means having a job and earning money to buy nice things. I really like the customers."
- Debbie C., Participant in Day Mental Health Services

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources