Mental Health Organization

  • Instructions:

    Participants, with supervision, can help put together an organizational newsletter, including: a calendar of activities, member highlights, updates, editorials, flyers, and more.

  • Instructions: participants, with supervision, can put together a website for the organization, with similar information as a newsletter, as well as: a mission statement, services offered, FAQs, featured stories, ways to donate, volunteer opportunities, and contact information.

  • Adaptation: Large kitchen area for a cooking and preparation team. Large luncheon room with tables and chairs.

    Instructions: participants can prepare and cook a menu of lunch items for the entire organization, volunteers, and guests. A volunteer can provide flyers with the menu to be put on the tables. Vegetarian and vegan options can be made available. A small, standard donation can be made to take part in the lunch.

  • Instructions: Have a small room or counter, with a volunteer attendant, dedicated to providing snacks, sodas, and coffee for interested parties, for a small fee.

  • Adaptation: A room with computers, video game software or dedicated website.

    Instructions: Allow participants to play video games designed for mental stimulation.

  • Adaptation: Computer room.

    Instructions: Qualified instructor can teach participants how to use creative software to make websites, flyers, and videos.

  • Have a qualified instructor teach important topics for maintaining wellness, such as: managing emotions, focus, and organization.

  • Instructions: participants can meet periodically at a restaurant of their choice, to enjoy each others’ company in a casual setting.

  • Instructions: participants can meet out at fun places, such as malls, movies, museums, or theaters.

  • Instructions: participants can go to a prearranged meeting at a successful local business of interest, to learn about its operations, and possible available positions for hire.

  • Instructions: participants can visit a local college of choice, to see the campus, and learn about the departments and subjects offered.

  • Adaptation: a large area outside designated for a garden.

    Instructions: participants, with supervision, can plant and cultivate flowers and vegetables in a large garden.

  • Instructions: participants can write poetry in a class, which they can later read out loud in an organized recital at night.

  • Instructions: a qualified instructor can speak on attitudinal topics such as: gratitude, creativity, courage, and inspiration.

  • Instructions: Have regular participants call other members who have not been there for awhile, to check on them, and encourage them to visit the organization.

  • Instructions: participants can all sign birthday cards to send to other participants on their birthday.

  • Supplies: decorations such as banners, balloons, decorative table settings. Music from a TV or speakers.

    Adaptation: a large banquet room, or tables outdoors. A large kitchen.

    Instructions: have a festive lunch or dinner, prepared by the kitchen unit participants, to celebrate: indoors or outdoors, depending on the holiday.

Setting Considerations

  • It is very important to make the space a place and community where participants feel safe and cared about, as well as helpful. They can get to be familiar with each other, and get to know each other over time.

  • You should be encouraging, positive, and flexible with participants, and encourage a supportive environment.

  • Be respectful of any issues someone might have, and give them space, if necessary, to work through them, possibly with the help of qualified support staff.

  • Participants can benefit from the structure of a full calendar of activities, to stay active and helpful.