Sample Speaking Notes for Event Organizers
Welcome to (insert name of your event). This event akes place during Mental Illness Awareness Week.
Mental Illness Awareness Week is a public awareness campaign that aims to better inform and educate us about the issues surrounding mental illnesses. The theme of Mental Illness Awareness Week is "Face Mental Illness" - and it represents many important issues. First and foremost, it puts a human face on mental illness by featuring the stories of people living with mental illness. It also represents the incredibly wide spectrum of those touched by mental illness - families, researchers, teachers and all manner of practitioners including physicians, psychiatric nurses and psychologists. And it encourages all of us - including our governments - to face and address the issues. Today, we hope to (add details about your event, how it will be run and what you hope to accomplish).
One in five Canadians will experience mental illness during their lifetime. It's crucial that we educate Canadians about the nature of mental illness and reduce the stigma associated with the disease. A number of myths have led to misunderstandings about mental illness, preventing many people from seeking and getting help when they need it. All of us can make a difference for the nearly 6 million Canadians affected by mental illnesses.
Mental Illness Awareness Week brings us some fundamental messages:
- Reach out. Don't be afraid to ask for help or to ask how you can help. This is a message for the family as well as for the person who is suffering alone and for all of us who know someone in trouble.
- Get help early. Early intervention and treatment reduce long term disability from mental illness.
- Talk about it. Share your stories to help others understand.
- Share the care. Treatment and support of people with mental illness involves many types of caregivers; each has an important role to play.
- Hope. While there are no cures for severe mental illnesses, improved treatments and community supports offer increased hope for recovery from its symptoms and a better quality of life.
- Respect differences. People with mental illnesses and their families are as diverse as the general population.
Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding mental illness often prevents sufferers from seeking the help they need, impairs recovery, affects the quality and availability of care and needed supports and even takes lives. Stigma also continues to keep mental health low on the health agenda.
Mental illness knows no boundaries; it can affect all people, regardless of age, culture, income and education.
We all have a role to play.
Thank you.
