This document provides an agenda and overview for an event called "Movies for Mental Health" being held at Skyline College on May 5, 2016. The event is organized by a group called Art with Impact and will include watching and discussing short films that portray mental illness, as well as a panel discussion on mental health. Attendees will watch three short films in small groups and discuss what they thought and felt about each film and what they learned. The panel will include students and on-campus and off-campus mental health professionals.
20. Meet the Panel
• Student panelist
- Courtney Bozzo
• On-campus panelists
- Beverly Muse, Psychological Services
& Personal Counseling
• Off-campus panelists
- Errol Feria, MFTI from Daly City Youth Services
- Ting Yi Huang, MFT from Pyramid Alternatives
21. Thank you for coming!
• Contact us:
– info@artwithimpact.org
–Follow us!
–Submit a film!
http://www.artwithimpact.org/contest
Editor's Notes
Campus organizer (may) introduce facilitator
Brief introduction – welcome, name
Encourage people to come closer
Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and document this event - we’d love to see your photos!
Brief agenda review:
- will give you a brief summary of AWI
- set the stage together, which really means that as a group we’ll have a discussion and provide a context for the topics
- we have four short films from our library to show you, together we’ll discuss the themes
- Make it personal with a panel of campus and community resources to connect you with
- You’ll be doing most of the talking today!
Mention photos - if you would prefer not to have your face in photos please inform us after the event
Add customized sponsor logo(s) on slides
Who is AWI?
- we are a charity dedicated to reducing the stigma of mental illness with transition-aged youth, work in regions throughout North America
- we have been working primarily in California since 2011 and in the last year and a half expanded to three areas of Canada, as well as the New England area in the U.S. (if applicable)
- We host an ongoing monthly short film competition where filmmakers anywhere in the world can submit a film on the topic of mental health, these are juried and monthly winners receive $1,000 cash prize (will tell you more about that at the end of our time together)
- We then take these winning films and facilitate discussions in our postsecondary Movies for Mental Health program (you’ll see what this is all about today) and run a high school program that teaches media literacy to youth and allows them to make their own short films on mental health
- Also a part of a larger global community, release blogs twice a week on feature length films, or film festivals related to themes of mental illness
Brought to you by:
- mention any nonprofit partners or corporate sponsors
Want to explain what I mean about this statement…
Mental health is personal and our experiences are different, we all come from different backgrounds and cultures – you are the experts on YOU and know yourself better than anyone else
We don’t often talk about mental health; as a society we don’t tend to talk about issues/experiences related to this theme, so sometimes we don’t know HOW to talk about these topics. First and foremost keep yourself safe today, don’t feel compelled to share anything you’re not comfortable with. This is a new space and you might feel ready to share but might not know what responses you’ll have, and it is a public space with no guaranteed confidentially so be mindful of the space that we are in before you disclose.
Some of the films might be triggering, meaning they might elicit an emotional reaction. The films are very powerful and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed, so take the time you need to re-group and be present here. I encourage you to take note of how you’re feeling and investigate that / nurture that after the workshop. We have counsellors in the room today that are here to help you if you need to step out (say names of counsellors, have them raise their hands in the audience).
With that in mind, let’s get started by providing a context and setting the stage for the messages we receive in the media.
Ask Q
Think about the characters in the films you shared, what are some adjectives you’d use to describe those characters?
We see a lot of extremes here, ie. Really special, really problematic
1 in 5 of us, 20% of us have a diagnosable mental illness, consider how these labels influence us.
We use the term often, let’s work together to craft definitions according to your thoughts
What is mental health, especially as it relates to mental illness? Sometimes the terms are used interchangeably and that can influence how willing we are to discuss these topics.
5 in 5 of us have mental health, it is a universal experience, something we can agree we need to nourish and take care of, influences all aspects of our lives
Show here: More Than A Mental Illness, Anosognosia, OR Designative Mental Illness
Mention brief blurb about the film – won our competition in <YEAR>, sentence about the filmmaker (can be based on acceptance videos on website)
Segue theme of film – stigma- into next slide
What the film really addressed here is stigma. We know stigma exists and we talk a lot about it in relation to mental illness, but how would you really define it?
Stigma can be experienced in a number of ways, and not solely related to mental illness…
Knowing that this is something we have all experienced in some shape or form, how does stigma feel?
Comments/ Questions that can be added about stigma specifically:
- stigma creates barriers to understanding
- stigma defines someone as only one aspect of who they are, when this label doesn’t fit who you are it’s a frustrating feeling
- If someone mentions stereotypes; difference between stereotypes and stigma is stereotypes can be positive or negative, sometimes funny, however stigma is always negative and feels awful, dehumanizing
- There are various types of stigma – cultural and self-stigma; this can snowball and create really negative experiences
- Believing the self-stigma (and it’s completely human to do so) can be dangerous when we internalize, become very hard on ourselves.
- It’s not a true/false, it’s a societal construct
- Impact of stigma in accessing resources (what is?)
Segue into films:
We are here today taking the first step by talking about these experiences, learning through films to combat stigma and learn from one another. These feelings, these byproducts of being stigmatized is why it’s so important to have these supportive and compassionate conversations / listening to one another is an incredibly powerful way to battle stigma
So, on that note, let’s watch the first film!
Mention when film came into library, brief note about filmmaker
When watching the film encourage you to remain aware of how the film makes you feel, and what the film makes you think and we’ll break into groups afterward to discuss.
In an academic environment it can be challenging to discuss feelings and emotions where thoughts are more abstract, but encourage students to challenge themselves
Feelings represent important feedback and it’s important to listen to them.
Turn to your neighbours in small groups and discuss these questions, we will come back together in a few minutes.
Communicate a signal for getting students’ attention?
Can provide an example of a thought and/or feeling to get the group started.
Live document responses, paraphrasing and summarizing
Mention when film came into library, brief note about filmmaker
Invite audience to divide into groups again (maybe encourage new groups?), allow 5 minutes for discussion before coming back together.
Transition directly into large group responses, no small group discussions
Mention when film came into library, brief note about filmmaker
When watching the film encourage you to remain aware of how the film makes you feel, and what the film makes you think and we’ll break into groups afterward to discuss.
Thank audience for participation.
After having these conversations and processing new and/or complicated information we can feel a little lost, and here is when we want to provide concrete opportunities to engage and continue this discussion.
Fortunate enough to have students sharing stories, panelist experts from your campus, and mental health professionals/ resources in your community here today to inform you of ways you can support your mental health.
Will tell you about ways you can engage with us (AWI) just before we break for good.
Now will invite our panelists to come up, and in the meantime will hand out evaluations which are really valuable to us for improving our programming and keeping it relevant. Will also assist your school in knowing how to better serve you.
Moderate the panel discussion – Introduce all panelists when inviting them up.
Students typically speaking first (check in with them to ensure this is okay for them), indicate which panelist will speak next throughout.
Q&A
Invite students to ask questions to panelists while monitoring time.
Encourage students to view booths or resource tables before leaving
Close out the panel and give (or have volunteer hand-out) panelist thank you gifts
Add personalized email to slide or info@artwithimpact.org
Mention ways students can reach out, contact us with feedback or comments.
Encourage film submissions – we’d love to see your films, competition is ongoing
We are on many forms of social media, reach out!
We have a sign-up list here if you’re interested in learning about other events and workshops, reading our blogs, etc.
I’ll be here if you have any questions for me specifically.
Thank the group again and close out discussion