Research in Action: Public - University of Calgary

Empowering people
who have schizophrenia.
A group of Calgarians with schizophrenia was given a rare chance to dramatically voice their feelings of
loss of control in dealing with housing and medical service providers as part of a University of Calgary
research project. The group is sharing their insights, experiences and hopes through a dramatic reading
they co-wrote as part of an 18-month project led by Dr. Barbara Schneider of the U of C’s Faculty of
Communication and Culture.
Team members performed the dramatic reading during Calgary’s Homeless Awareness Week, and will
perform at the Calgary Health Region’s Conference on Health and Homelessness and at the Edmonton
Schizophrenia Conference. In addition to the performance piece, team members used photographs to express
what home means to them and produced an emotionally compelling poster entitled Searching for Sanctuary:
What Home Means to Me.
The challenge of give and take
Schneider’s research revealed tension between care and control in the relationship between people with
psychiatric disabilities and housing and medical service providers. The individuals want, need and appreciate
the care they receive from family, mental health professionals, government agencies and other service
providers. Yet, to receive care, they feel they must submit themselves to a number of intrusive surveillance
and coercive controls over many aspects of their lives. If not, they run the risk that care, services and housing
will be withheld.
The performance script is one of several results of the research project, which explored housing problems
experienced by people struggling with psychiatric disabilities, and was funded by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The study team included nine members of the Peer Support
Unsung Heroes Program at the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta, Calgary Chapter.
“Through this study, the participants gained a sense of themselves as competent individuals who could make
a meaningful contribution to society,” says Schneider. “They now have a voice to share their feelings, personal
stories and challenges with accessing and retaining housing. They expect to have a significant impact through
presentations of the script, influencing service providers and legislators.”
As co-researchers under Schneider’s guidance, the group selected the research topic, and conducted interviews
and focus groups with others who have schizophrenia and have experienced homelessness or housing instability.
The Mustard Seed Ministry and the Calgary Association of Self Help helped recruit additional participants. Tom
Everrett, a graduate student in the Faculty of Communication and Culture, has produced a documentary film
of the project, Hearing Our Voices: A Participatory Research Project on Schizophrenia and Homelessness.
Schneider speaks frequently about the research findings and writes papers and articles. She has begun a
second phase of the project and is conducting interviews with housing agencies to explore how housing
services are provided.
http://callhome.ucalgary.ca
www.schizophrenia.ab.ca
University of Calgary Research in Action 22