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CASETTI and E.C.H.O
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CASETTI (Case management and supported employment for people with mental health problems)
The project (1998-2001) works with clients to develop counselling services, case management, supported employment services, and social and work skills training for people with mental health problems. Its services are for persons with mental health problems who are planning to return to working life. One of its main activities is supported employment which provides regular paid work in an integrated environment with the needed support, such as training and coaching in the workplace, social support outside the workplace, and transport arrangements. Clients receive support as long as they need it. CASETTI also offers support for employers on other employment-related issues.25 |
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E.C.H.O
The Rehabilitation Foundation was also involved in E.C.H.O, a programme co-ordinated by the STAKES Consortium. E.C.H.O targeted people with psychiatric or psychosocial problems who had difficulties in finding employment in the open labour market. It covered the establishment of social firms, transitional employment, supported employment, and tailored pathways. An evaluation of the programme carried out by the Rehabilitation Foundation shows that the number of participants who were employed or working in integrated settings increased sharply, from 5% to 31%. In addition participants reported that their general wellbeing, self-confidence, and social relationships improved through participation in the project.26
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REHABILITATION FOUNDATION 23
The Rehabilitation Foundation provides rehabilitation services and training for professionals and conducts research on rehabilitation. It assesses labour market policies which target people at risk of social exclusion. People with mental health problems are among its clientele. The Foundation is governed by a board which includes representatives from the Ministries of Labour and Social Affairs and Health, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions, and the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers.24
The Research & Development (R&D) unit of the Foundation runs a CASETTI programme for people with mental health problems. The R&D unit was also involved in the evaluation of E.C.H.O which is funded by the European Union Social Fund (ESF) and co-ordinated by STAKES. E.C.H.O. whose target group are users of mental health services is part of the European Employment Initiative. The European Union-funded TRADES project also aims to develop and study employment models for people with disabilities, including persons with mental health problems. The project is one of the 25 partners in a European network, ACCEPT II. The network, funded by the ESF community initiative programme, is dedicated to improving the social integration and employment of people with mental health problems
The role of academic institutions
In Finland, the focus of research on working life has reflected international trends. In the 1960s, the emphasis, inspired by some U.S studies, was on more comprehensive research on job satisfaction and working conditions. In the 1970s, the idea of quality of working life started to command attention and resulted in job enrichment and job enlargement projects. After the 1970s, occupational health and safety research adopted a "work psychology" approach, which drew strongly on job satisfaction theories and stress models, with an emphasis on health. The aim was to create a sound knowledge base to influence legislative reform of the work environment, which was also underway in other Nordic countries.
Overall, research on working life has focussed on developing systems in order to encourage staff participation and increase occupational safety and health care. Quality of working life and "humanisation" of work have received less attention.28 In the second half of the 1980s, however, rapid
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"In Finland, productivity is promoted mainly by investing in technology and reducing human input. People seem to have largely forgotten that the more important aspect of raising competitiveness relies on using human resources as well. There has been a striking inability to exploit the powers that our high level of education should have given us. We have more or less learned how to develop our human resources, but we have a long way to go in using them."
Matti Salmenperä, Ministry of Labour27
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