Loyalist students participate in Letter of Hope Contest

By Linda Horn

The Family Support Network of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties is asking Loyalist students to take part in their Letter of Hope contest.

Lorraine Pyle, chairperson of the Family Support Network committee, met with first-year social worker students on Wednesday.  She asked them to take part in the letter contest she has created.

The letter of hope is part of a mental illness anti-stigma campaign called Out of the Darkness.

Pyle asked the students to write a letter or public address. In the student’s own words the student should say what needs to be said, done, or changed to alter people’s perception of mental illness and to offer hope that the stigma can be lifted.

The contest was intended for first- year social worker students, but after a meeting Pyle had a meeting with Sandie Sidsworth, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, Sidsworth suggested that she extend it to the child and youth worker and community and justice service worker programs.

“We have people from those backgrounds working here and the students in the programs now would benefit from this contest as well,” said Sidsworth.

Sidsworth said the CMH would provide a $200 prize for those two programs.

“I think this contest is a great way to get a dialogue going, a dialogue about mental illness and removing stigma. It’s about letting people know it is OK to ask for help and support,” said Sidsworth.

Lori LaMorre-Slatter, field placement co-ordinator and professor of the social services worker program said,

“This is one of first experiences the students are getting to advocate and put a face on being a front-line social worker while helping to end the stigma associated with mental illness.  “This is a great opportunity for our students to practice their advocacy skills,” said LaMorre-Slatter.

Social service worker student Misty Haggerty said “I think it is very interesting. It is a great way to get people involved and talk about mental illness. I am not a strong writer, but this contest does attract me to try to write something and enter.”

The family support network is a volunteer- run committee that provides support and programs for family members of someone diagnosed with a mental illness.

As well as with working with the committee, Pyle is also a social worker but it is her own life experience that got her inspired to run the letter of hope contest and end the stigma of mental illness.

“I lived the experience of stigma and I have a daughter who has a serious mental illness. Many individuals who have a serious illness will step away or pull back from the stigma that is associated with it. They are met with ridicule, absurd remarks. It is not behavioral, it is an illness. Changing that perception is done though education,” said Pyle.

Entries must be submitted by April 1 and will be judged by a panel from the Family Support Network. The winning letter from the Social service worker program will receive $300 and $200 will go to the winners from the other two programs involved. Winners will also be asked to be a guest speaker during Belleville’s Mental Health Awareness Week celebrations being held from May 7 to May 11.