NAMI Ending the Silence (ETS) Lead and Young Adult Presenters

• Did you have mental health challenges as a child, young adult, or teen?
• Are you over the age of 18?
• Do you live in or near Clackamas County, Oregon or are able to commit to travel within the county?
• Would you like to help High School students obtain a better understanding of mental illness?
• Would you like to help us end the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide?

Become a Lead or Young Adult Presenter of Ending the Silence.

We are looking for presenters who are able to present during the weekdays at local Clackamas County high schools. Presentations are primarily in the morning and/or the afternoon.

Through this free classroom presentation, high school students get to learn about mental health conditions, how to support their friends and how to get help. During the 60-minute presentation, a young adult living with mental illness, and an adult, tell their stories about mental health challenges, including what hurt and what helped.

At each pre-scheduled presentation of Ending the Silence there are two presenters:

Lead Presenter: An adult dealing with a mental health condition or with a family member or loved one diagnosed with a mental health condition, who gives a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation to the students and teachers, leads discussions, and offers their experiences where appropriate.

Young Adult Presenter: A 5 to 10-minute presentation by someone who shares their own lived experience seeking mental health services as a child, teen, or young adult. The young adult speaker also shares their experience by answering questions from students and offering coping skills based on their own lived experience.

Training is required and will be provided. (self-paced online, and working with training coordinator)

• Stipend paid for each presentation

Why Ending the Silence Matters:

• 1 in 5 kids experiences a mental health condition; only 20% of them actually get help
• About 50% of students ages 14+ with a mental health condition will drop out of school
• Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for 15-24-year-olds
• The earlier the better: early identification and intervention provides better outcomes