NAMI Smarts for Advocacy

NAMI Smarts for Advocacy is a skill-building training that helps people affected by mental health conditions turn their passion and lived experience into skillful grassroots advocacy.

A NAMI Smarts workshop engages participants in hands-on learning to build and strengthen skills to engage in issue advocacy. Whether someone is new to advocacy or has years of experience, people will leave the workshop with messages, step-by-step tools and the practice they need to feel ready to make a difference.

NAMI Smarts for Advocacy begins with its core skill: Telling Your Story. This module guides participants through writing and delivering a compelling version of their story that will serve as the starting point for their issue advocacy.

Once advocates have their story, it’s time to use it. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy includes several different modules:

• Policymaking 101
• Contacting Your Policymaker
• Meeting with Your Policymaker
• Medication: Protecting Choice
• Parity: Fairness in Health Coverage
• Budgets: Funding our Future
• Reimagining Crisis Response
• Advocacy Day

Looking for an upcoming workshop? Contact your local NAMI State Organization to find out about NAMI Smarts for Advocacy offerings in your community.

For general questions about NAMI Smarts for Advocacy, email [email protected].