Volunteering |
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Volunteer with us! The SSA Edmonton & Area Chapter is a non-profit, charitable voluntary organization that advocates for better care systems and more understanding for families living with mental illness. Ours is a grassroots movement where your contributions will have a substantial impact.
We always need lots of help with our major annual fundraiser: Persons with Mental IllnessPeople living with mental illness ("survivors", "consumers", "patients", "clients", etc.) have many strengths and talents that are often hidden behind the illness. Learning to be confident in yourself and reveal these strengths is key to recovery. Speaking of SchizophreniaFor those of you who have overcome the hardest part and have resumed your lives, it is extremely important that you share your success story with others. Telling a personal story is one of the best ways to help other people discard their prejudices. That's what the Speaking of Schizophrenia Program is all about. Volunteers receive a $25 honorarium each time they speak. Click here for more information about the Speaking of Schizophrenia Program. SOS PlayersThe SOS Players perform plays about schizophrenia to community groups in readers theatre format (that means you don't have to worry about memorizing any lines). For more information, visit the SOS Players' website. Other OpportunitiesWe have flexible, rewarding volunteer opportunities in our office for people diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Contact us to find out more.
Family & FriendsGetting family and friends of people living with mental illness actively involved in our work is a top priority. Please join us in making this world a little more hospitable for our families. We offer the following volunteer opportunities to family members and friends of people with mental illness: Speaking of SchizophreniaYour story is undoubtedly the most convincing case for the uninformed public to change their attitudes. We speak to hundreds of groups every year and we are always looking for new family members and friends to tell their side of the story. Committee WorkThe Edmonton Chapter Board has a few Standing Committees that work on issues that come to the Board's attention. We are always looking for input from active members, and your participation can be as little or as much as you like. Contact our office for more information.StudentsIf you are a student interested in clinical experience with "patients" living with schizophrenia, we strongly suggest that you approach Alberta Hospital Edmonton, the Canadian Mental Health Association, or other service providers. However, if you are looking for an opportunity to understand the personal and sociopolitical side of living with a severe mental illness, we would be happy to bring you on board. Because mental illness, by its very nature, requires a multidisciplinary approach, we are open to student volunteers from nearly any program or discipline. Some students who have volunteered in the past have been in undergraduate, graduate, or professional programs in Psychology, Medical Sciences (e.g. Pharmacology), Pharmacy, Medicine, Sociology, Human Ecology, Education, and Art & Design, among others. As a student, you may be interested in the following volunteer opportunities, depending on your experience and career aspirations: - reviewing and updating information we provide to interested people It is essential that you understand our perspective on mental illness: we look at this issue at a level that goes far beyond the clinical or sociological perspectives alone. If you feel that you are willing to learn, we will make every effort to facilitate this. We provide reference letters for those volunteers who demonstrate a strong work ethic and solidarity with our mission. Open Minds Walk & RunThe Open Minds Walk & Run takes place on the first Sunday after the long weekend in September. Volunteer opportunities are available in the summertime leading up to the event and on event day. We need help with the following areas: Before Event DayPre-Registration - hand out race kits a few days before the event to pre-registered runners at the Running Room. Hospital and Festival Information Booth - staff display booths in Edmonton hospitals and festivals in the months leading up the the event. Hand out information about the SSA and the Open Minds Walk & Run. Race Kit Brochure Stuffing - stuff race kits for other Running Room sponsored races with our Open Minds Walk and Run brochure. Race Set Up - help set up for the event in Hawrelak Park on the evening before the event. On Event DayCheck-in - register, collect pledges and hand out t-shirts to walkers, runners and teams. Draw Prizes - draw names and write down draw prize winners for display. Clean Up - help tear down and clean up after the event. Race Marshalling - sit at designated points on the race trail and direct runners to the right path. Cheer runners on! Race Water Station - fill and hand out cups of water to runners as they pass. Food Duty - set up and stock breakfast and BBQ supplies.
To volunteer for any of the above, email walkandrun@ssa-edmonton.com or call (780) 452-4661. For more information about this event, see our Open Minds Walk & Run page.
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