2011 Campaign for Social Inclusion Awardees’ Project Summaries
Heartland Consumer Network, a Program of St. Louis Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance 
Poetry for Personal Power
Heartland Consumer Network plans to re-implement their Poetry for Personal Power project throughout Missouri with several enhancements added to the project. Heartland seeks to expand the program to 10 new universities as well as revisit the five most successful hosts from last year.
Heartland plans to create an education and outreach group to build a network of young people. As an added component to the poetry competitions, schools will compete for prizes to see who can create the event that most effectively reduces negative attitudes and harmful beliefs associated with mental and substance use disorders. Participants will also pick a partner at events and sign up for a peer partnership to be accountable to each other for the rest of the school year. An additional feature will challenge all 15 universities to create the biggest Poetry for Personal Power program, with prizes given to the three most successful student organizations.
Also, the rolling bicycle-based health fair display booth will be used to help market Poetry for Personal Power events for universities having difficulty spreading the word about their events. Photos from these events will be uploaded to the Poetry for Personal Power Facebook page and video footage will be posted on YouTube.
To obtain further information about this project contact Corinna West at corinnawest816@gmail.com or telephone 816–392–6074. Visit their Web site at http://poetryforpersonalpower.com and on Facebook at Poetry for Personal Power.
Peers Envisioning and Engaging in Recovery Services (PEERS)
PEERS plans to create a documentary film highlighting the personal stories of 3–5 youths living with behavioral health issues and the impact of violence and trauma in the urban community of Oakland, California. The youths highlighted in the film will be trauma survivors representative of the ethnic, cultural, and LGBTQ communities of Alameda County. Issues such as the influence of racism, violence, trauma, cultural norms, and socioeconomic status will be discussed.
Also, this project seeks to expand the “Hear Our Stories” section of the “What a Difference a Friend Makes” campaign site with short clips of the personal stories from the documentary film.
To obtain further information about this project contact Shannon Eliot at seliot@peersnet.org or telephone 510–567–7622.
South Dakota United for Hope and Recovery (SD United)
Coming Together, Growing Our Voice
SD United will host a monthly education and support teleconference series, provide training to peers interested in sharing their stories, and establish a speaker’s bureau with trained peers. Speakers will learn to produce videos of their stories, and videos will be available on a YouTube channel dedicated to the speaker’s bureau. SD United will utilize our website, www.southdakotaunited.org , as well as Facebook and YouTube. Young adults are especially encouraged to participate and to be involved. Topics in the teleconference series will include those of interest to young adults, trauma survivors, veterans, and Native Americans. All project activities will seek to provide support and education through peer networking and experience sharing.
To obtain further information about this project contact Jennifer Constantine at president@southdakotaunited.org or telephone 605–549–5509.
VOCAL
Youth Create Wellness
Community Wellness Mural Creations
The Virginia Organization of Consumers Asserting Leadership (VOCAL), Virginia’s peer support network, will partner with and co-lead young adults in bringing music, art, and dancing creative cultural opportunities to young adults. We will raise awareness of mental health and addiction challenges and the possibility of recovery, and educate young adults about how to live a life of wellness through creativity and community building. A widely respected Native American artist and musician will facilitate the creation of two community wellness mural projects, one on Native American tribal land in Virginia. A youth leader will coordinate youth social networking efforts.
To obtain further information about this project contact Heather Peck at heather@vocalvirginia.org or via phone at 434–243–7878 ext. 18.
Western New York Independent Living, Inc. (WNYIL)
WNYIL plans to develop an event combining an art exhibit and wellness fair. The art exhibit will feature artistic works depicting pathways to mental health and addictions recovery. Art works will be displayed at a large venue with artists meeting with and discussing their works and experiences with attendees. Works will be selected for a traveling exhibit to be shown at regional and State sites. An online version of the exhibit will also be developed and posted on the WNYIL website.
There will be a statewide poster and media contest inviting youth to submit an art display or multimedia production addressing either Recovery through Empowerment, Social Inclusion, Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, or Public Awareness and Support.
The Mental Wellness Fair is a technical assistance and education activity that will include consumer testimonials and community support groups. Support groups will be encouraged to hold quarterly joint meetings, participate in town meetings, and schedule social activities in the community to promote social inclusion. The WNYIL public access television broadcast, “Point of View,” and “In Perspective,” a weekly radio program to address behavioral health issues to a larger audience will also be utilized.
To obtain further information about this project contact Cynthia Printup Harms at cynthiaph@wnyil.org or telephone 716–836–0822 ext. 111.