Introduction
Perspectives on work and mental health in relation to work may affect social sustainability and equal health. Mental health problems among young adults in Sweden are perceived to be related to school stress and concerns about future education and the encounter with an uncertain labor market. To shed light on perspectives that have not been reflected in previous research, this study used critical perspectives and photovoice as method to engage young adults with experience of mental illness in a dialogue about work. The aim of the study was to analyze how young adults with experience of mental illness view work.
Method
The method involves a group of participants to take photographs in their everyday lives and then meet to critically discuss their pictures. Six young adults with experience of mental illness and with a foreign background met on six occasions during the fall and winter 2022-23. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis.
Findings
The analysis show how the participants understand the concept of work and position themselves in relation to work. The overarching theme The work of navigating a challenging route, comprises three themes explaining work as The individual’s efforts in everyday life, An obligated doing, and Producing results that matter. The conclusions highlight a tension between perceiving oneself as responsible for directing and choosing the inevitable work that is part of everyday life while at the same time being limited in influencing the scope of it.
Implications
In order to promote social sustainability in relation to equal health and justice, future research should explore the view of responsibility in relation to navigating work among young adults with experience of mental illness.