More Ideas to Celebrate
“Self-Help Group Awareness Month”
for Individuals, Groups,
Professionals & Agencies
For Supportive Individuals:
1. For your
community, workplace and/or church bulletin board, post one or more self-help
group brochures. If you have a local self-help group clearinghouse serving your
area, consider obtaining and posting one of their brochures – see our listing of clearinghouses
Similarly, if
you are in contact with any type of professional in the helping professions,
consider sharing a brochure with them.
2. If you’ve benefited from participation in a self-help
group, consider letting others learn from your experience by posting a brief
story (anonymously if wished), and referencing the month, on a community or
issue-specific message board.
3. It doesn’t have to be “Self-Help Group Month” to let a
friend or relative, who is going through a difficult time, k
4. If you’re willing and able, consider creating and
posting a mini-poster that announces the celebration. It could be as simple as
including your favorite quote reflecting the value of self-help groups. In
future years, we hope to provide sample posters and materials that can be
downloaded and customized for your area – so we would be grateful for examples
that any “artists” who are willing to share and be credited.
For Self-Help Groups:
1.
If your group has
a local/national website, consider adding a link to our Clearinghouse webpage,
http://www.medhelp.org/njgroups/Self%20Help%20Month%2008.htm
which publicizes the month.
1.
Write a press
release announcing your January meeting(s), and mention the fact that January
is "Self-Help Group Awareness Month."
2.
If you have a
printed or online group newsletter, let members k
3.
If appropriate
for your group, schedule a special guest speaker for a January meeting and,
similar to suggestion #1 above, write a press release announcing the
presentation and mentioning it’s "Self-Help Group Awareness Month.”
4.
Contact the
“Community Affairs” representative, or any talk show host, at your local radio
station to mention the month and ask for an interview.
5.
Create and give
an award to a helpful professional or agency, photograph presentation, and
publicize it.
6.
Approach local
professionals and agencies that have been supportive of your work, and ask that
they please consider any of the other suggested actions listed for professionals.
7.
Approach your
local public library with a list of key library books related to your group’s
issue, and ask if they would kindly consider setting up a display of those
books along with reference (maybe brochures too) on your group.
8.
Consider having
interested group members volunteer to do a community service project that
benefits the community and publicizing.
9.
Next Fall,
consider contacting local and state government officials, educating them to the
value of groups, and encouraging them to issue a proclamation to recognize
Self-Help Group month in your area next year.
For Professionals & Agencies:
1.
In both public
and professional publications, consider mentioning the observance and your k
2.
Agencies and
hospitals can consider scheduling presentations by group representatives open to
professionals and/or the public, e.g., instead of having group reps just come
to a staff meeting to explain their group,
consider
scheduling a presentation by group reps open also to the general public and
professionals in other agencies.
Do you have your
own additional idea to add? Please let
us k