NAMI Ending the Silence is an in-school presentation about mental health designed for high school students. Students can learn about mental illness directly from the family members and individuals living with mental illness themselves.
Although only a short, 50 minute presentation, NAMI Ending the Silence is effective at raising awareness, encouraging early identification and intervention and giving a human face to mental illness. By providing a realistic view of recovery and starting a dialog with the students, this program removes the fear and mystery that is often the result of the silence surrounding what can feel like a scary topic.
What to Expect
What Students Will Receive
A Toolkit of Practical Information
Students can learn the science and impact of mental illness on youth well as concrete ways to use this knowledge.
Topics covered include:
- Signs and symptoms of mental illness
- Statistics on how mental illness affects youth
- Personal perspectives on the experience of living with mental illness
- Recovery and coping strategies
- Ways to seek help for themselves or for a friend
- Ways to help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness
An Empowered View of a Misunderstood Topic
The presentation’s message of empathy and hope encourages students to actively care for themselves and for their peers, whether by reaching out for help, encouraging a friend or family member to seek help or by reducing stigma. Contact with a positive role model, in the form of the young adult presenter, can powerfully change their views of a common but stigmatized life experience. The discussion portion gives students a rare opportunity to ask questions and learn personal truths about mental illness.
Resources they can use if mental illness enters their lives, including:
- Cards with contact information for mental health agencies and youth support services
- A list of symptoms/warning signs of mental illness
- Recommendations on how to help a friend who is experiencing mental health problems