Education- the rainbow at the end of the tunnel : A study of a Supported Education Program in a consumer-operated organization, with a focus on experiences of stigma

Experiences of stigma, isolation and discrimination are major barriers to accomplish higher education for people with mental illness. It has been argued that students are not receiving sufficient support to overcome these barriers. This qualitative study explores perceptions and experiences of barriers to education with focus on stigma amongst participants in a Supported Education program. The Supported Education (SEd) program in this study is located in a consumer-operated organization, Genesis Club in Worcester, Massachusetts. The empirical material was collected through a two weeks participant observation in Genesis Club’s Career Development Unit and through six interviews with members of the Clubhouse. The results show that the informants’ experiences of stigmatization have acted as a barrier to education. The SEd program at Genesis Club assists the participants in overcoming barriers. Peer support, role models, empowerment, not using labels, focusing on what you can contribute are all examples of factors that are present in the informants’ narratives about the SEd program at Genesis Club. Earlier research has shown that these all are factors that can counteract self- stigmatization. To problematize the results, the study has been inspired by theories on labeling and stigma