Voices, Opportunities & Choices Employment Club: transforming sheltered workshops using an affirmative business...

Voices, Opportunities & Choices Employment Club (VOCEC) is a non-profit "umbrella" corporation that facilitates the development of affirmative businesses to create jobs for consumers of mental health services. To date, 5 independent businesses have been developed by transforming the resources of sheltered workshops within Kingston Psychiatric Hospital and 2 businesses have been established in collaboration with a local public library. This paper provides a description of VOCEC, including an overview of the affirmative business approach, the structure of the organization, and the process of business development. Personal reflections provide insights into the experiences of consumers, staff, and Board members associated with the corporation.