NAMI Presentation Panel Interview with Cody

Submitted by Shoua Lee, Clubhouse Staff, and Cody Vogel, Chrysalis Clubhouse colleague

The Clubhouse Wisconsin Coalition, made up of all five Clubhouses in Wisconsin, attended the NAMI Conference Apr. 26. Cody Vogel was one of the panelists who supported a table sharing about the Clubhouse Model. In this interview, he shares his Clubhouse experience with conference attendees. Kathy Ziegert, Clubhouse Supervisor, was the panel moderator. For information and resources about Clubhouse International, visit https://clubhouse-intl.org/

When did you find out about your Clubhouse, and how has it impacted your life?

It was at the beginning of 2020 when Kathy Ziegert had reached out and asked if I
wanted to be a part of Chrysalis very own Clubhouse and it didn’t take me very long to
accept. Being a founding member of the Chrysalis Clubhouse and from when it began
with 13 members and especially with when we started Covid had come and we weren’t
able to be an in person clubhouse for 6 months we didn’t hesitate to overcome this
obstacle and The Chrysalis Clubhouse has impacted my life so greatly as well as for
others. Chrysalis clubhouse allowed me to go further with my Cooking Skills, my
Communication with My Words and My Writings, My Physical Activity, My Work with
Technology, My Job Skills, My Bonds with Members and Staff, and most importantly it
Gave Me a Community. The Chrysalis Clubhouse helped me become the best version
of me. There were days that would be hard and other days where I was joyful and would
make none stop jokes and make people smile and knowing no matter if I was feeling
down or in higher spirits, having a good or bad day, that I was always welcome and
knowing I had support and if I needed it, I always had it within the Chrysalis Clubhouse
Community. The Chrysalis Clubhouse opened so many opportunities within so many
different realms of my life and the one thing it gave me the most was connection and
bond. Some connections and bonds that sparked out of the clubhouse and have
become some of my best friends. The Chrysalis Clubhouse has done so many
astonishing and bound breaking things for every member as well as the staff, and the
Chrysalis Clubhouse keeps growing. I know our Chrysalis Clubhouse community will
keep striving and reach so many more goals and accomplishments and we can’t do it
alone, “WE ARE ONE, NOT DIVIDED”.

Tell us a little about your experience with Clubhouse employment opportunities.

Within the year 2021 and 2022 I had a hard time finding a Job, so at some point The
Chrysalis Clubhouse had Grown to where we got a TE program and looking back I
remember talking to Kathy Ziegert about me becoming our Clubhouses first TE and I
was excited for me to finally get back in the WorkForce. I will say I was nervous going
into this but I had help from My Colleagues and Staff within Chrysalis Clubhouse to help
me. Personally, even though this was helping me get back into Working, I also wanted
to do it for The Chrysalis Clubhouse because I wanted to Represent our Clubhouse and
to show them that even somebody with Disability, that we are just as capable of
Working as anyone else. I was in The Chrysalis Clubhouse TE Program for many like 2
months and I really struggled and when I left the TE I honestly felt bad but The
Chrysalis Clubhouse Community Supported me and at some point in early 2023 I
started reapplying for jobs within Madison. On May 1st, 2023, I got an interview at
Buffalo Wild Wings and I got hired on the spot. When starting that job I had that same
nervousness from when I was in The Chrysalis Clubhouse TE Program but this time I
made it a different mindset and I honestly made it farther than before because of going
through that TE Program within The Chrysalis Clubhouse. It has been almost a year
since I was Hired at Buffalo Wild Wings and I still remain working there!!! I keep at my
job and I’ve made so much stride and improvement within my work. The Chrysalis
Clubhouse TE Program also showed that even despite not being quite ready, it didn’t
mean I failed, it helped me better prepare for my next Job, Which it Did. I am Living
Proof on what The Chrysalis Clubhouse Community has done within Job Goals and
Accomplishments.

What is one takeaway you want people to understand about the Clubhouse
model?

I want people to see, understand and realize what a Clubhouse Model does for
everyone and when I say that I mean The Members, The Staff, and The Clubhouse
Community as a whole. The Clubhouse Model is Here to Help all of that and each
person within a Clubhouse has something to offer, nobody is more valuable or important
than another. Every Clubhouse is important and in my opinion no Clubhouse is more
important, like even though a Clubhouse may be further within their Journey as a
Clubhouse, but every Clubhouse is Equal because we all are after similar goals. The
Clubhouse Model is Nation Wide and each Clubhouse Learns and Grows off each other
and a perfect example is the Clubhouse International meeting. Each Clubhouse has a
meaning to the Clubhouse Community as a whole and each Clubhouse has the
Clubhouse Model. The Clubhouse Community in my mind is the definition of support
and growth, which the Clubhouse model makes possible. We are the Clubhouse
Community and like I said before, “WE ARE ONE, NOT DIVIDED”.