Mental Health Empowerment Project staff are available to assist people in starting and maintaining self-help groups around a variety of interests as identified by an individual or group of individuals. We will work with you to develop a plan for your group; assist you to identify community resources that will support your group: find meeting space, potential members, advertising, and partnership opportunities.
Staff will offer assistance in researching information relevant to the group topic, work with individuals to create materials to “kick start” a first meeting, and identify the existing strengths and skills that the individuals bring to the group. We offer individualized training on a wide variety of topics for new group facilitators including (but not limited to): basic communication skills, role of a facilitator; developing shared leadership and ownership; publicizing a group and its’ activities; strategies for helping people manage difficult emotions; and identifying relevant referral resources.