The Awareness, Media and Information (AMI) Project
The AMI Project is a three-year anti-stigma project funded by Comic Relief which will challenge stigma and discrimination around mental ill health in South Warwickshire. Whilst the Project has a full-time Media Action Worker to co-ordinate activities, individuals who have experienced stigma by being mental health service users or survivors are involved and shape activities. To view the project's website visit: www.stopstigma.org.uk
Media Watch Group
The Media Watch Group meets fortnightly in Leamington Spa and is open to mental health service users and survivors in the area. If you would like to find out more or get involved, please contact: heather@swuf.org.uk
The Group monitors both positive and negative reporting of mental health issues by local newspapers, radio, television, the internet and in magazines and discusses the issues raised.
TalkBank
'TalkBank' is a group of volunteers who are willing to share their stories with the media, to promote positive images of mental health.
Media training is offered for those wanting to get involved and covers areas such as media awareness and interview techniques.
The TalkBank will also be developed as a resource for local journalists. In a recent survey, 62% of journalists interviewed, covering both regional and national newspapers, said the main barrier to contacting people with mental health problems is that they are not sure who to contact. The AMI project aims to change all that!
Positive Image Arts Campaign
Finally, the Project will run a Positive Image Campaign each year to promote positive images of mental health through an arts-based medium. The scope of the campaign will be shaped by those involved in the Project but could include activities such a poetry, painting, music, theatre or film making.
For 2008 we ran a photography workshop and entered the work produced into the Open Up Exhibition organised by Community Arts Workshop. To view the photos, visit: www.stopstigma.org.uk
Poetry Competition 2008
During September and October 2008, SWUF held a poetry competition on the theme of "Healing and Recovery". We are pleased to announce the winners and highly commended entries and to bring you the poems in full below:
First place:
From Black to Grey to White
by Shelley Groves
Highly Commended:
Duel with Depression
by Cathy Whittaker
Shattered Glass
by Jonathan Ratcliffe
Other Commended poems:
Feelings from Nowhere
by Pat Bidmead
New Beginning
by David Clinton
Laptop
by Stephen Peat
Win, Win, Win
by Dominic Mulgrew
To see the winning poems click here: www.stopstigma.org.uk
If you'd like to find out more contact Heather Payne, Media Action Worker on 01926 335569 or email: heather@swuf.org.uk (Heather works Monday to Thursday).
