What can community support programs do to promote productivity?: perspectives of service users

A major goal of community support programs is to help users of services lead meaningful, productive lives in the community. However, there is currently little evidence to support an understanding of how community support programs influence the productivity of service users, particularly from the perspective of consumers themselves. This qualitative study explored consumer perspectives on how community support programs promote productive activity. Data were obtained from in-depth interviews with a sample of 14 participants who received community support services, and analyzed using the constant comparative method involving unitizing, categorizing, and forming themes. The 4 themes that emerged from the data were: (a) the need for a specific focus on productivity within services, (b) the importance of consumer empowerment, (c) the need for learning opportunities, and (d) the value of supportive networks.