Write On! “Find Your Voice and Write Your Truth”

Write On! is . . . A writing workshop and advocacy program for emerging advocates of mental health and substance use. We use storytelling to heal hearts and change minds.

Why storytelling? We created Write On! because, through storytelling, people learn and take action. “I do not understand much about mental health and how it affects people . . . [this event] helped me to understand how other people are affected by what they have to deal with.” –Write On! event attendee

Goals: d Provide young adults who have suffered trauma with an opportunity to heal through writing and to become an advocate for others. Create an awareness campaign to address stigma and discrimination.

THE WORKSHOP THE EVENTS THE CAMPAIGN 9 weeks Writing instructor and theater pros enlisted 15 writers at start, 8 finished 5 community events during May for MH Month About 250 total attendees Featured on local NPR show Back to School 2017 Online campaign with podcasts of storytellers Total reach TBD

Concentric Circles of Impact Online listeners of awareness campaign (3,000 – 10,000 people) Guests at live readings (250-350 people) Our storytellers/ WO participants (8-12 people)

How We Achieve Impact And measure all of it! Invest in multiple levels of promotion; be real; know your audience Online listeners of awareness campaign (3,000 – 10,000 people) Create a safe, engaging environment for emerging storytellers Guests at live readings (250-350 people) Start with friends and family; promote courage and honesty Our storytellers/ WO participants (8-12 people) And measure all of it!

At one public reading, 18 out of 19 guests said they “learned a lot.” Is it working? Overall, emotional regulation and wellbeing scores improved for the storytellers Storytellers said the workshop was “therapeutic,” “interesting and important,” “empowering,” and “educational”

What have we learned? Gut before curriculum; people before program Set the right expectations Environment is everything WO is for self-motivated storytellers who are eager to share 8 stories told side-by-side is more powerful than 1 told on its own

Keys to Our Success The right team The right partners

And most important of all . . . our storytellers!

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.” – Stephen King, On Writing