Accreditation from Clubhouse International provides many benefits to Clubhouse organizations like ours. To become accredited, an organization is evaluated by self-study and a Clubhouse International team and held to a rigorous set of 37 standards. Since the Clubhouse model is based on a work day program, employment is a large component of accreditation. Accreditation begins with a team of Clubhouse members and staff who review each standard as a self-study practice. The result of the self-study process is a written report from the Clubhouse to Clubhouse International and the consulting team, describing the Clubhouse and its areas of strength and relative weakness, as seen by the members and staff. In this process, the Clubhouse begins to identify aspects of the program which they would like to improve. The self-study becomes the foundation for strategic improvement in the operation of the Clubhouse, and provides the Clubhouse International Faculty team with a place to begin the consultation.
The Importance of Clubhouse Accreditation
“Accreditation is a wonderful way for our Clubhouses to pursue self-development, and provides a baseline for understanding how well we're doing against those standards,” said Chad Bolstrom, Program Director for the Uptown Clubhouse. “These standards typically result in higher outcomes in terms of the number of members who are working, and the process itself has really strengthened our Clubhouses.” Chad adds that accreditation also provides credibility for work with outside partners like hospitals and other residential facilities.
The Accreditation visits are made by members of Clubhouse International’s Faculty for Clubhouse Development. The Faculty consultants are members and staff from strong Clubhouses around the world. Each Accreditation visit is made by a team of one staff and one member from the Faculty for Clubhouse Development. After receiving and reviewing the self-study and other relevant materials submitted by the Clubhouse, the Clubhouse International Faculty team visit the Clubhouse for 3-4 days. While on site, the Faculty team confirms the information presented in the self-study, and meets with members, staff, board members and other stakeholders of the Clubhouse. The Faculty team participates in Clubhouse meetings, the work day and other Clubhouse activities.