Project Description:
Living to our Full Potential, a multi-dimensional project is targeted to young people with mental health challenges, their families and the community at large ? everyone who is invested with securing a world where people with mental health challenges can live to their full potential. The overall project intends to bridge the gap between an ?ending and new beginnings? and to contribute to fulfilling unmet needs: building the capacity of youth to determine and forge their destinies, providing a platform for the voiceless to have their voices heard and creating venues and pathways whereby SIG collaborators, working groups, Hui?s and teams can continue to be inspired, informed and educated on best practices, current research and initiatives while honing professional development skills.
Goal 1: Develop Community Engagement Programs which promote mental health awareness, prevention and build capacity for self-advocacy Objective 1.1. Create and implement a skills based Program for families and youth to support ?Mentally Healthy, Physically Fit? Campaign Studies show that diet plays an important part in behaviors and healthy diets can positively influence persons with mental health challenges. To challenge public perceptions that healthy food is expensive, local chefs will conduct 5 cooking and demonstration classes (Cooking for Mental and Physical Health) which will include macrobiotics and be free.
Objective 1.2 Develop youth self advocacy Initiative, ?Telling our Stories? It has been found that storytelling and developing skill sets positively support overall mental health, increase individual and collective self-esteem and reduce stigma in the community. Stories continue to have communal efficacy and have the power to unify cultures, influence behaviors and support inclusive environments, diversity and self-determination. The workshops will give attention to the personal voice, exercises, mastery of voice, face and body and how to create person narratives. These stories will culminate in a performance and digital storytelling project which can be used for media promotions.
GOAL 2: Deliver Professional Development and Empowerment Programs and collaborative activities to and for Mental Health Stakeholders including MHT-SIG Alliance Members
2.1 Design and implement Youth Leadership Academy (LDA) The CDS with partner organizations has hosted two LDA as a pre-Pacific Rim Conference activity. As part of sustaining the vision of the MHT SIG grant, we will host and organize this event (5 hours) with interested partners and community members
2.2. Develop Youth Topic Area for Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities Services are effective for individuals but they do not address the key issues identified by the social model of disability: those social attitudes tend to stigmatize and marginalize people viewed as ?different.? The conference topic area will highlight evidence-based or promising practices guided by the social model that include a focus on the social context.
Goal 3: Expand Employment Opportunities for Mental Health Consumers and Increase their Ability to Compete Successfully in the World
Objective 3.1 Provide an employment training ground (Events Planning) for mental health consumers To support a four month job internship program in events management. Now in its 2nd year, the CTOU unit provides leadership and training for 3 mental health consumers in the field of events management, a lucrative industry with growth potential. We provide a certificate of graduation and stipend of 500.00 for each job trainee graduate. For purposes of space, the activity timeline involves recruiting and outreach, curriculum development and on-site supervision of a mental health event. For the Pacific Rim 2011 conference, the job trainees organized a five hour forum for and by people with mental health challenges utilizing a social justice framework. It was a sold out event.
Keyword(s):
mental health, youth, at-risk, programs, leadership
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Disadvantaged Circumstances, Other
