Vocational training and employment attainment among substance abuse recovering individuals within a communal living environment
Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities
ISSN: 0964-1866
Article publication date: 3 June 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of length of stay in an Oxford House (a sober living environment) with the number of days attended school/vocational training and days worked in the past 90 days with 292 women and 604 men.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents quantitative data.
Findings
Results indicated that number of days residing in these recovery homes was related to number of days attending school/vocational training and days worked.
Originality/value
The present study suggested that in addition to staying abstinent from alcohol and drugs, Oxford House residents may improve gain useful life skills through vocational education, training, and employment. This is an area of further exploration for the substance abuse recovery community.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Gratitude is expressed to Paul Molloy, Leon Venable, and the many Oxford House members who collaborated with our team for the past 15 years. The authors appreciate the financial support from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA grant numbers AA12218 and AA16973).
Citation
Gomez, D., A. Jason, L., Contreras, R., DiGangi, J. and R. Ferrari, J. (2014), "Vocational training and employment attainment among substance abuse recovering individuals within a communal living environment", Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 42-47. https://doi.org/10.1108/TC-03-2014-0008
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited