Through the creation of a Blogging Club, mental health users within Suceava County, Romania will be empowered to demonstrate themselves as individuals. Initially, 10-15 beneficiaries will be trained on how to create a blog and use social networks, enabling them to share their stories, interests and experiences as community members.
There will be a four month training; two months on technology, and a two month practicum period, where users will create their own blogs. Upon completion, participants will partake in the Blogging Club, where one collaborative blog will be created. Continuation of individual blogs will be encouraged but the project focus is to sustain the collaborative blog.
Our goal is to enable users to utilize their talents, as well as develop new skills to demonstrate that they are active and valuable assets to their community. The blog content will promote the reality that people with mental health problems are complex individuals who also have hobbies, dreams and successful lives. Mental health service users within Romania and abroad will be able to communicate, build relationships, establish dialog on advocacy issues and other relevant topics within their community. Furthermore, the blog content will promote a positive image of people with mental health problems and provide more comprehensible information about the mental health field. Creating this opportunity will help break through stigma barriers, prevent future misunderstandings that lead to discrimination, and rectify the present misrepresentation of mental health in the media. News and information provided through the blog will help the community to become informed, as well as aware of its value, power and influence to make change happen.
This is a very exciting project. Do you know when the 20 bloggers will be selected? How do you plan on selecting them?
it’s a great strategy to allow them time for themselves and also give them training on social networks use. It’s more than an empowerment project, you are changing their lives.
Welcome aboard! I am also excited to hear about the project and learn a little more about Romania. Greetings from Bolivia and Voces Bolivianas.
I’m sure this project will be wonderful from the onset.
I’m curious if the health professionals working with the users will also get a chance to blog, or if the blogging will be done solely by the users. In any case, I can’t wait to read the blogs.
Good luck!