disorders is also hampered by general difficulties in the labour market. Overcoming these conditions, which result from the transformation of Poland's economic system, has included a huge job creation effort and has required the jobless to acquire new skills. With job opportunities so limited, neither funds nor energy are available to assist people who require special legislation and educational programmes to compete and succeed in the job market.

These factors are partly responsible for the absence of national or local government programmes that support and train people with mental health disorders so that they can gain access to the open labour market. There is some NGO activity in this area, but no systematic data is available. One recent initiative was an All-Polish Forum for Employment of the Disabled, organised by Channel III of the Polish Radio, Gazeta Wyborcza (a popular Polish newspaper), and the Polish Association of Employers of the Disabled.²⁵ The Forum's main purpose was to identify companies prepared to employ the disabled. An announcement that some firms were offering jobs to the disabled, resulted in over 100 applications from disabled people (including people with mental health disorders). The number of disabled people employed in the open labour market is estimated at about 50 000, while that in sheltered workshops is about 250 000.

The issue of paid employment for people with mental health disorders remains unresolved. Prior to the 1989 political changes , it was relatively easy for them to get jobs in sheltered workshops, especially in large cities. Within the framework of social co-operatives they performed simple activities under controlled, highly disciplined circumstances and were paid low salaries. Sheltered workshops did not survive open market competition and most of them have collapsed. The state subsidy is inadequate and does not provide sufficient incentive for firms to employ people with mental health disorders. Employment agencies list very few paying jobs for people with mental health disorders, and very few of them have managed to join the mainstream workforce. Even if they find employment, they usually lose their jobs after the first two or three weeks.

Poland does have occupational therapy workshops and centres for work activities for people with moderate and severe mental health disorders. The Act on Employment and Occupational Rehabilitation of Disabled People of 1991* (with several later amendments) sets out principles for their organisation and activities. The primary aim of therapy workshops is to promote social skills necessary for independent living including work. There are about 300 occupational therapy workshops in Poland. They provide temporary occupation and a small stipend for people with mental illness who have lost their jobs. There is one experimental Centre for Work Activities, in which the staff consists of people with severe mental illness. This centre is supported financially by the State Fund for Rehabilitation of the Disabled.

* Act of Employment and Occupational Rehabilitation of Disabled People, Dziennik Ustaw RP, no 46, 1991