The objective of this thesis was to generate information about how clients of rehabilitative work assess the effectivity of rehabilitative work as well as to increase knowledge about how the clients would develop the rehabilitative work. The thesis was implemented in collaboration with a unit that organizes rehabilitative work in Kanta-Häme.

The data were collected by interviewing five rehabilitative work clients individually. The interviews were half-structured interviews that were transcribed and analyzed by themes. The theoretical framework consists of defining unemployment and its effects on an individual and the society. The concepts of participation and life management are discussed in more detail. The thesis also looks at rehabilitative work and how it is organized in municipalities.

Some clearly recurring themes in terms of effectiveness emerged from the interviews. Among these, the most frequent ones were substance use, circadian rhythm, social life and social inclusion. Rehabilitative work contributed to all of these in a positive way. Rehabilitative work, among other things, reduced substance use, enhanced regular circadian rhythms, as well as increased social life and a sense of belonging to a community. Development proposals were related to various group activities, individual counseling, as well as the organization of work tasks.