1. STUDENT PROJECT DESCRIPTION Theme: DO THE MENTALLY ILL HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY? By: STINE MOSE AND MARIE KAAS DENMARK, CVU-LILLBAELT OCTOBER 2007 13Th meeting of ENOTHE October 2007 In Cork

2. EQUALITY IN DENMARK: Democratic principles of equality and freedom for all allow individuals and their families to create the life that suits them best. But these democratic principles also set certain limitations on the individuals freedom of action. The purpose of these limitations is to ensure that no one suffers injustice or is harmed in any way. Democratic principles of equality and freedom for all allow individuals and their families to create the life that suits them best. But these democratic principles also set certain limitations on the individuals freedom of action. The purpose of these limitations is to ensure that no one suffers injustice or is harmed in any way. Thus, Danish society does not accept discrimination against anyone on grounds of gender, ethnic origin, colour, religious or political persuasion, sexual orientation or disability; nor does it accept anyone being subjected to violence or mutilating circumcision. Mutual respect and understanding between people and groups of people is a fundamental principle of Danish society. Thus, Danish society does not accept discrimination against anyone on grounds of gender, ethnic origin, colour, religious or political persuasion, sexual orientation or disability; nor does it accept anyone being subjected to violence or mutilating circumcision. Mutual respect and understanding between people and groups of people is a fundamental principle of Danish society.

3. OUR PROJECT interview with a 46-year-old schizophrenic woman interview with a 46-year-old schizophrenic woman has been in the psychiatric system since she was 25- years-old has been in the psychiatric system since she was 25- years-old is currently going to a daycentre for people with psychiatric inconveniences and are receiving an early retirement pension is currently going to a daycentre for people with psychiatric inconveniences and are receiving an early retirement pension She told us how she sees equality coming to justice at her current daycentre and how she feels that people regard other people with a mental illness She told us how she sees equality coming to justice at her current daycentre and how she feels that people regard other people with a mental illness

4. THE DAY-CENTRE the users have a council were they take decisions and have influence on several important things the users have a council were they take decisions and have influence on several important things people can come as they wish and there is no need to be in a good mood all the time people can come as they wish and there is no need to be in a good mood all the time the users can come for advice, support or coffee and a chat the users can come for advice, support or coffee and a chat a new approach is to have the users take an evening-shift with an employee a new approach is to have the users take an evening-shift with an employee there are some keywords that everyone finds important - like respect, responsibility, influence, tolerance and to be seen as an equal individual there are some keywords that everyone finds important - like respect, responsibility, influence, tolerance and to be seen as an equal individual

5. CLIENT-CENTERED PRACTICE MOHO-based practise requires a client-therapist relationship in which the therapist must understand, respect, and support client choices, actions, and experiences (Kielhofner, 2002) MOHO-based practise requires a client-therapist relationship in which the therapist must understand, respect, and support client choices, actions, and experiences (Kielhofner, 2002) create a satisfactory and advancing environment where there is optimal opportunities to reach maximum capacity for the users create a satisfactory and advancing environment where there is optimal opportunities to reach maximum capacity for the users

6. HOW DO PEOPLE LOOK UPON PEOPLE WITH A MENTAL ILNESS? so what do you do? so what do you do? the medias effect on people the medias effect on people

7. PROJECT TO IMPROVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES educational work educational work students in the health sector students in the health sector the students will have the opportunity to meet and see how well these people can manage the students will have the opportunity to meet and see how well these people can manage

8. CONCLUSION the daycentre we visited there were definitely equal opportunities for all the daycentre we visited there were definitely equal opportunities for all users influence and the respect of who they are as an individual which gives them many opportunities to develop themselves users influence and the respect of who they are as an individual which gives them many opportunities to develop themselves human beings with individual resources instead of just patients human beings with individual resources instead of just patients