At Poetry for Personal Power, we are dedicated to facilitating community engagement, research, and advocacy efforts. Advocacy can include many activities that a person or nonprofit organization undertakes including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research."

​

We advocate for change in systems delivery in mental health services. Often the decisions about funding, treatment, service delivery and more are made in committee meetings and places where there are few if any patient advocates involved. We have found that when those who have used mental health services and especially those who are in recovery, provide feedback, it results in more effective responses.

​

    We specifically focus on how art and entrepreneurship can give people with lived experience in recovery from substance use and mental health issues a voice and an outlet. It can help them share their wisdom and experience in meaningful ways. It can help reduce stigma, increase community support, and help develop programs and systems that support physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. It is teaching people how to get involved in their communities and have their voices heard.   

​

The challenge is that these advocates frequently aren't paid and their voice may not be taken as seriously as other professionals. We work to create ways for these advocates to be trained, paid, and heard. So that their efforts to improve services and access for those who need better mental health support will have better effect. 

​

We train advocates! As an organization, all of our community engagement efforts are focused on creating resilient communities where people can safely recover from trauma, behavioral health issues, and substance abuse. Everyone deserves to live in communities where they are able to learn, grow, and be heard.

 

 

ARTS ADVOCACY TRAINING MATERIALS

ADVOCACY TRAINING RECORDING: 2023 MO Arts Advocacy Week Training - YouTube

ADVOCACY TRAINING POWERPOINT: 2023 MCA MOAAW Training PP.pptx (constantcontact.com)

​