The House of Sweets
Country
Belgium
Description
The project aims to sell self made desserts and sweets (and tomato soup) during the yearly open air jazz festival in Ghent (Jazz in the park).
The four days of the festival is the climax of six months working and preparation in the hospital:
- creating and decorating the stand;
- discussing and defining which products will be made and sold;
- learning to cook the products;
- organising the activity during the jazz festival;
- presence in the park.
Aims
Introducing patients to the local community, by organising a (kind of) commercial activity (production and selling).
Introducing the patient and his capacities to the visitors of the festival.
Areas
Leisure
Effectiveness
The project answers to both the need of the patients to get in contact with the society and it shows the local community that patients are capable to deal with commercial activities.
Sustainability
The four days of the festival in September are only the culmination point of an activity that starts in May and is finished in December.
Innovation
Innovative is the introduction of the commercial aspect.
Added Value
Lots of visitors of the jazz festival do not expect to be confronted by patients. It informs these people of the capacities of patients.
Transferability
The project is easily transferable.
Mainstreaming Potential
Such projects are a perfect illustration that psychiatric patient can have a place in the commercial world and can not only be employed, but even initiators of the production and selling of their products.
Costs of the Project
Each year there is enough income to prepare the next years activity.
People involved in the Project (number of people and profession)
Hundreds of visitors of the jazz festival
Patients of two wards
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Project
The strength is the organisation of a commercial activity, from beginning to the end, by the patients in dialogue with the organisers of the festival (from the local community).
Contact Person for the Project
Erik Vermoessen, Ria De Cuyper
F. Ferrerlaan, 88A
9000 Gent
Tel.: 09/216.33.11
Fax: 09/216.33.12
Email: pc.dr.guislain@fracarita.org
http://www.guislain.be/