Dear Emerging Kind Friends,

I am seeking local and global collaborative event organisers for the 2nd International Emerging Proud day on Sat the 12^th May to ensure that our message delivered is as loud and impactful as possible.

It’s easy and FREE to organise an event!

I’m interested; What do I need to do?

Go to http://www.so-me.org.uk and register your name and location
Download all of the FREE resources, you will also be sent an instruction email
Source a venue to hold your event; preferably in a public place, e.g. library
Recruit Volunteers who are willing to talk about their personal transformation story
Prepare all of the material needed for your big day; Volunteer Profiles etc
Promote your event to your local community using this ‘trending topic’;

‘Reframing mental distress as a possible transformation process’

On Sat 12th May hold your SoMe Emerging Proud event; ENJOY!
Return feedback from your Message Board after the event to take part in the research evaluation and the Emerging Proud 2018 International Report

What is involved in an #Emerging Proud SoMe event?

‘So –Me’ story sharing events will take place in public community spaces in multiple locations all over the world in order to re- frame mental illness.

The ‘trending topic’ of the day will be;

‘Reframing mental distress as a possible transformation process’

Volunteers who resonate with having experienced their own crisis as a catalyst for a meaningful life transformation will engage in conversations with interested strangers in public places all over the world, with the aim to change perceptions that experiencing emotional distress can actually lead to the start of a new, more positive and authentic life…

At an event there are three SoMe spaces: The Wall, The Chat Room and The Message Board.

The events are based on social media concepts, but are live and in- person!

The Wall is where SoMe volunteers display their pre-written ‘profiles’. These are A3 sheets, printed and laminated, containing some basic information including their interests, favourite books/films etc., along with a quote they have written about the experiences they are prepared to share. This quote must comprise 140 characters or fewer, similar to a Tweet on TwitterTM. Event organisers help volunteers to create their profiles beforehand, and visitors to the SoMe event are invited to look through the profiles and choose one a SoMe volunteer to talk to in the Chat Room.

The Chat Room is the space where SoMe volunteers and visitors sit down and talk. Profiles can be used to prompt and stimulate the conversation, which can be challenging but always respectful. Once the conversation has finished, the visitor is asked to visit the Message Board.

The Message Board is a space where visitors can evaluate their experience, also in 140 characters. Once written, their message is added to the board, which creates an ongoing, ‘live feed’ evaluation of the event and attracts other participants.

The outcomes from each event location Message Board will be collated after the 12th May to produce the 2nd International Emerging Proud report.

Why are we doing this? Predicted Social Impact;

· Raised public awareness of the positive transformation potential contained in crises

· Increased public ability to listen to subjects they may find challenging

· Increased communication in local communities

· Increased hope for those who may be struggling with mental health issues

· Decreased prevalence of suicidality

· Research study outcomes – A UEA Professor has agreed to source a student to support the event and provide an evaluation report on the Feedback from the day from all locations involved. We will therefore have tangible academic outcomes to use for funding future projects for indicated needs.

We are keen to work in collaboration and would welcome your input in a way that feels authentic to your own experience; you can make your event your own, as long as it’s run under the same ‘trending topic’ and guidelines of the SoMe event template…