IN India, close to 60% of people with lived experience of mental illness in the urban areas remain unemployed,” said Dr R Mangala, joint director at the Schizophrenia Research Foundation - India (SCARF(I)). She made this comment at the curtain raiser event for an exclusive job fair for persons with mental illness that they are organising today.
To destigmatise the employment of people with lived experience of mental illnesses and provide a path for recovery and social inclusivity, the job fair is open to persons with qualifications ranging from class ten to postgraduate degrees who are on treatment for a psychiatric illness in Chennai. SCARF (I), along with Chennai Psychiatric Society, under their Employment Exchange Cell (EEC), is organisig it at SCARF premises in Anna Nagar.
SCARF chairman, R Seshasayee, said, “SCARF’s entire mission has been to say mental illness is no different than physical illness.” He added that the institution’s role doesn’t end in curing the patient, but when they are returned to their productive citizenship.
Dr R Thara and Dr R Padmavati, SCARF vice chair and director, were also present. In the past two years, since the induction of EEC, nearly 400 people have registered for employment of which about 60% were placed in jobs in SCARF and in other firms with the help of personal contacts. According to the SCARF team, around 60 to 70 people have been employed in the last three months.
R Ramesh and Malathi Jeevanantham, two individuals who got employed through SCARF, shared their workplace inclusivity and recovery experiences. Ramesh is currently working at a petrol bunk and Malathi, who is volunteering at SCARF’s pharmacy, is participating in the job fair, among 200 other registered candidates.
Twenty employers from diverse sectors, including Zepto, Khan Academy, and Zudio Trent, will participate in the job fair.
Following the overwhelming response for participation, SCARF (I) is planning to have another job fair on December 3, in commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with more collaborators to reach more beneficiaries.
"Reintegration of mentally ill people into society is not the job of only mental health professionals. It’s a collective responsibility of everybody in the community and employment is the key method," says Dr Mangala.