JSEC FAMILY

The Jewish Sheltered Employment observes and celebrates all Jewish Festivals and holds various events to mark these occasions. A party is held every year to celebrate Rosh Hashana. Each worker receives gifts of clothing that have been donated by the clothing industry. Purim and Channukah are also celebrated annually. Workers, their families and the committee enjoy an annual picnic.

The JSEC has an Executive Committee which consists of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Treasurer and eleven committee members who are involved in administrative management issues and fundraising.

It also has a Medical Committee which processes new applications and is involved in the management of the workers

The staff is made up of a Director, a complement of professional staff, supervisors, machinists and domestic staff. The Director manages this team and is responsible to the Committee.

This is a newsletter which is written and compiled by one of the workers at the Jewish Sheltered Employment. The newsletter is informative and interesting and describes life at the JSEC.

These are the stories of two of the workers from the Jewish Sheltered Employment Centre.

Worker story - I have settled in nicely.

I was born at Vincent Palloti Hospital on Easter Monday to the sound of church bells ringing. I had white curly hair and a brown birth mark on my bum which thankfully has disappeared since.

I attended the Mowbray Nursery School much to my dislike.

My school was not my best. I went to Herzlia Primary until Std 1. Rosebank Junior and San Souci followed by Herzlia Practical Class which went to Std 9. I was pleased to receive a Certificate for Merit there.

My teacher enquired and arranged for me to go to Frank Joubert School of Art where I did art and later pottery.

After that I tried the Technical College for a course in hairdressing. I could not cope with the apprenticeship that followed. I then went for a private art therapy. Art is still my favourite subject. I attended the Ruth Prowse School of art for about four years. I am living in a group home. I am very happy. I find that days at Sheltered Employment Centre are what I make of them and I have settled in nicely. I want to thank everyone for their support and friendship.

Worker story - The glass is not half-empty. It is half-full.

My illness started back in 1984, when I took my university studies too seriously, and couldn't accept the fact that I would never get my degree. I had a major breakdown and spent five months in a psychiatric hospital.

In the late 80's, I was a student at Cape Technikon, where I managed to obtain a four year diploma in Accounting. In 1990, I found a good position, but it only lasted for two traumatic months, after which I was dismissed. My employers knew nothing of my illness, which I wrongly thought would be better. I couldn't sleep at night, was terrified of going to work each day, was terrified of going to work each day, and had to take days off. In a way, my dismissal was somewhat of a relief.

In 1991, I reluctantly agreed to work at the Jewish Sheltered Employment Centre for what I hoped would be a short time. I have been there ever since. At first I was resentful, and filled with self-pity. I was pleased when there was no work to do and I would think nothing of putting my head on my desk for an entire morning.

Slowly, as the years passed, my attitude started to improve. I could do more work mainly cutting material, and sometimes I was given basic office work to do. However I was obsessed with getting a proper job, and was still going to many interviews, without success. From 1996 to 1998, I worked in my father's shop, as he needed an assistant. I was not very happy there, as I am not much of a salesman, and there was some pressure. My father closed the business.

Back at the Centre, although I was more settled, I continued looking around, and in 1999, I found a small half day job, with a big firm of accountants. Unlike 1990, my employers knew that I had a problem, and were very supportive. Nevertheless, as the months passed, conditions slowly began to deteriorate. The clerks were making more and more mistakes, which I and elderly colleague were meant to sort out. Although the personnel lady reassured me that I was doing well, the thought of the mounting work load made me feel anxious and depressed. Finally after 9 months, I decided to leave. I was distraught and early in 2000, I became so depressed that I had to spend time hospital again, but thankfully for only 3 weeks.

After I returned to the Centre, I resolved to use 2000 as a "rest year". I abstained from going to any interviews or making any attempt to find an outside job. Instead, I really did my best at the Centre, cutting lots of material, and also being sent to the bank, to deposit or withdraw large amounts. I have definitely improved, as I now resent having no work to do. In February 2001, I was admitted into the newly formed Supported Employment Programme, which aims to help those of us who want outside jobs, to be eased into the open labour market, via small temporary jobs.

I am now employed, as part of this programme, at a bakery, where I am helping to make food for Passover. It is a step forward, and I am doing well. Although I am no longer obsessed, with "using my diploma", I have said to the lady in charge of the programme, that I would definitely prefer, eventually, to be placed in a junior bookkeeping or clerical job. As I write this, however, I am at peace, I am doing my best, and I would like to take things one day at a time. As long as I can remain positive, I think that I will be alright. To quote a phrase often used by counselors, which I try to apply to myself: "The glass is not half-empty. It is half-full."