SOCIETY

ASSOCIATIONS: 35 PRACTICES


TOPIC:

Initiative

"ERASING STIGMA. UPON OUR WORD"

"ERASING STIGMA. UPON OUR WORD"
SUBMITTED FROM:

Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health (S.S.P & M.H.)

The Society of Social Psychiatry and Mental Health Panagiotis Sakellaropoulos (S.C.Ps.& Ps.Y. P. Sakellaropoulos) is a scientific, non-profit association founded in 1986. The first important steps that led to its establishment were taken in 1964 by the Professor of Child Psychiatry, Panagiotis Sakellaropoulos and his team of colleagues, who, inspired by the spirit of Social-Community Psychiatry, began working for psychiatric reform in Greece. Since then, the P. Sakellaropoulos Mental Health & Psychology Society has developed a wide network of activities in all areas related to Mental Health. Its services cover a large part of the psychiatric and child psychiatric needs of the residents of the areas where its structures operate, namely the prefectures of Attica, Fokida and adjacent areas, Fthiotida, Evros and the wider region of Thrace and include: services for the prevention of mental disorders, their early treatment and the social and professional rehabilitation of people with psychosocial problems, community education activities (information events, seminars, trainings, etc. α.)to inform and raise awareness of the population on mental health issues and combat the stigma of mental illness, implementation of training programmes aimed at developing highly qualified staff, as well as participation in European programmes and in European organisations and networks for mental health.



Objective Action

In order to highlight the effects of the stigmatizing public and media discourse regarding mental health and to promote (self)advocacy and the protection of the rights of the people affected, a systematic effort was made to train journalists and media professionals and influence relevant authorities, while placing emphasis on the empowerment and participation of Civil Society.

“Erasing stigma. Upon our word”” is being implemented in the framework of the Active citizens fund project with Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos as a project promoter along with Themistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation – Centre for European Constitutional Law (CECL) and Society for the Care and Rehabilitation of People with Psychosocial Problems (Merimna) as project partners. The Active citizens fund in Greece is supported through a € 13,5m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021. The program aims to develop the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector in Greece, and to strengthen its role in promoting and safeguarding democratic procedures, active citizenship and human rights. The Fund Operator for the Active citizens fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow. For more information: www.activecitizensfund.gr 

 

Target Audience

General public

People with disabilities, people with mental health problems and their families, mental health professionals, media professionals/executives/students, journalists, social media experts and content developers, decision and policy makers

 

 

Duration

01/06/2020 - 31/05/2022


Description

Necessity of the Programme

Why to create a campaign to combat mental health stigma in public discourse?

From our experience and from the desk and field research we conducted during the project, we found that stigmatizing media and public discourse is persisting.  We found that its effects contribute to the reproduction of stereotypes which, in turn, cause exclusion and intensify discrimination against people with mental health problems, in various areas of life: education, work, social, cultural, political life.

Based on this data, we have considered that there is a great need to strengthen the advocacy and “watchdog” role of civil society to address these phenomena.

Content of the Programme

In collaboration with our partners, in the framework of the project and campaign "Erasing the stigma. Upon our word", we designed a set of actions and tools to help prevent the exclusion of people with mental health problems, and to eliminate discrimination.

The results in summary are:

● Desk research based on archival material of publications in the media and television broadcasts of the recent past.

● Field research with focus groups of mental health service users.

● Educational materials and awareness-raising tools:

  • Audiovisual material (video): 'labels are not for people' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT-WswvH7OM&t=17s  for the general public and: "print the news, not the stigma" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyH_YqQ8HhY  for journalists.
  • Library: 4 Guides for professionals on the proper use of language in mental health and the protection of the rights of people with psychosocial problems:

You can download the guides here:

https://svinoumetostigma.gr/vivliothiki/  

Guide "Media and Mental Health", Guide "Step by Step: Mental Health Stigma & Discrimination: Becoming Informed and Protected", Guide "14+1 points for media coverage of mental health issues: how to write and present mental health issues to prevent stigma", Guide "Language and Disability - The Case of Mental Health. Principles for inclusive language in legislation, in the public sphere and in the media"

  • One (1) mobile app with useful information  https://svinoumetostigma.gr/svinoumetostigma-mobile-app/
  • Three (3) texts of recommendations with accompanying institutional interventions aiming at destigmatization, (self-) advocacy (Review of the code of journalistic ethics, Recommendation for the replacement of terms used regarding mental health/mental disability in public documents, Text of recommendations to the National Council for Radio and Television), through collaborative processes (3 round tables with 11 institutional bodies + 2 members from: psychiatric and journalistic community, resulting in the adoption of our proposals or corresponding commitments).

See the Press Release with the Commitments here:

ΕΣΗΕΑ και ΕΣΡ στηρίζουν τις προσπάθειες καταπολέμησης του στίγματος ψυχικής υγείας στο δημόσιο λόγο - Σβήνουμε το στίγμα (svinoumetostigma.gr)

See the adoption of our recommendations for inclusive language here:

Εκθέσεις - Πορίσματα - Ειδική Επιτροπή Ελέγχου Προστασίας των Δικαιωμάτων των Ατόμων με Ψυχικές Διαταραχές - Υπουργείο Υγείας (moh.gov.gr)

● Training material used for seven (7) seminars to specific audiences (journalists, media content producers, mental health professionals): 218 trainees.  

  • Targeted campaign to promote advocacy in relation to stigmatising speech, with significant impact: FB Engagements: 61.434, Website visits: 10,589, Video views (YouTube+FB): 204.342.   Our campaign was replicated by 46 media.

● Mobilisation of Civil Society Organizations:

Our material was replicated by 46 organizations. Petition campaign: 960 signatures.
Operation of a Voluntary Advocacy Group with 12 Non Profit Organizations: 5 meetings, Workshop: "Advocacy, self-advocacy & stigma",  involving institutional stakeholders, participation in institutional lobbying and joint publications highlighting stigmatizing discourse

● Publicity actions: 12 articles/broadcasts/interviews, in electronic media, radio, TV, 5 press releases, 261 posts on fb, twitter, site, 5 youtube videos.

Innovation

The innovation of the project "Erasing the Stigma. Upon our word" is highlighted through the integration of multidimensional strategies, means and tools that combine education, awareness-raising and the active involvement of civil society.

Central to the innovation is the production and use of audiovisual materials, such as the videos "Labels are not for people" and "Print the news, not the stigma", which reach the general public and media professionals in a creative and insightful way, promoting very powerful and impactful messages. Watch the video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT-WswvH7OM&t=17s  και  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyH_YqQ8HhY 

In addition, the project developed specialised guides and training materials aimed at journalists, with the aim of promoting the correct use of language and preventing stigmatising language. These guides are accompanied by modern tools such as an innovative mobile app that provides instant access to mental health information and resources, thus facilitating the dissemination of messages and active user participation. Dowload the user - friendly guides: https://svinoumetostigma.gr/vivliothiki/

This innovative approach involves the active participation of people with psychosocial problems, giving them a voice and a role in the development of advocacy tools and project activities, in every step of the project, in every action.

Another innovation of the project concerned the institutional interventions through: recommendations, roundtables with the participation of all interested stakeholders and actions to strengthen the “watchdog” role of the Civil Society. Through the aforementioned actions, the project aimed to promote important institutional changes and strengthen the protection of the rights of people with psychosocial problems.

See the Press Release with the Commitments here:

ΕΣΗΕΑ και ΕΣΡ στηρίζουν τις προσπάθειες καταπολέμησης του στίγματος ψυχικής υγείας στο δημόσιο λόγο - Σβήνουμε το στίγμα (svinoumetostigma.gr)

See the adoption of our recommendations for inclusive language here:

Εκθέσεις - Πορίσματα - Ειδική Επιτροπή Ελέγχου Προστασίας των Δικαιωμάτων των Ατόμων με Ψυχικές Διαταραχές - Υπουργείο Υγείας (moh.gov.gr)

The creative use of social media to promote the campaign and the creation of materials aimed at both the general public and specific professional groups underlines the project's innovation and flexibility in achieving its objectives. See the significant impact of our messange:  FB Engagements: 61.434, website visits: 10,589, video views (YouTube+FB): 204.342.   Our campaign was replicated by 46 Media.

These actions managed to reach a very large audience, in institutions as well, generating a substantial social impact and making a decisive contribution to combating stigma and defending the rights of people with psychosocial problems.

Sustainability

The SSP P. Sakellaropoulos has as a standing policy to utilize the products of the projects and to provide the society with its scientific work with multiplier benefit.

In this context, we submitted the published material of the project "Erasing the stigma Upon our word" to the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) for further utilization, with the necessary suggestions for adaptations for the school community. The utilization of the project material will increase its sustainability and social impact.

Our organisation has systematic community awareness actions concerning the general population and specific stakeholders (local government, police, judges and prosecutors, doctors of other specialities, etc.) with the main objective of destigmatisation and equal integration of people with psychosocial problems. The project material is systematically used in these actions, as a creative and influencial material.

The model of institutional interventions used in the project remains a valuable tool for the advocacy and lobbying efforts of SSP P. Sakellaropoulos regarding rights in mental health and the fight against stigma. This model can be beneficial as a paradigm of the dialogue between institutions/decision making centers and the Civil Society. 

Our organisation is a member of important National Networks and Federations and European Networks, and exchanges expertise with many organisations abroad. In all relevant cooperation we promote the tools of the project.

All tools remain posted on the project website, linked to the organisation's website and can be used by stakeholders.

The sustainability is also supported and promoted by our project partners also


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Impact on Society

Impact on society

The project:

  • Promoted significantlty the cooperation between civil society stakeholders, involving in all critical processes a significant number of CSOs: 12 non profit organizations of the Voluntary Advocacy Group actively participated in institutional lobbying and in highlighting stigmatizing discourse; 46 organizations replicated the tools of our project, increasing its impact. 
  • Promoted significally the cooperation between the media and civil society organisations to carry out advocacy actions: 46 media replicated our campaign, 12 articles/broadcasts/interviews, 5 press releases, 2 original articles based on our own material, 218 people were trained of which 138 were media officers. 
  •  Through the systematic trainings mental health professionals, media workers/executives/students, social media experts and content developers gained new tools and knowledge about inclusive language and prevention of mental health stigma.
  • The advocacy campaign to combat stigma had a significant impact: FB Engagements: 61.434, Website visits: 10.589, Video views (YouTube+FB): 204.342.   The campaign was replicated by 46 media outlets, while the petition campaign also promoted accountability and good governance.
  • The project contributed with the creation of new tools for the "watchdog" of institutions by CSOs: a Media and Mental Health Guide, proposals for institutional changes/recommendation paper to the National Counsil for Radio and Television, proposals for changes to the code of journalistic ethics, proposals for use of terms in public documents, Step by Step Guide: Mental Health Stigma & Discrimination: Becoming Informed and Protected.
  • The project contributed with actions to strengthen the watchdog role of Civil Society Organizations, with innovative actions of a watchdog nature of the CSO as regards decision-makers, with the active participation of non profit organizations in the process. Through the 3 roundtable meetings we achieved coordinated lobbying of institutional bodies with tangible results. This type of institutional meetings can be considered a good practice for the development of institutional mechanisms and channels to enhance communication between citizens and public authorities.
  • Through the development of educational and awareness-raising tools (videos, guides promoting the rights of people with mental health problems, social media campaign), but also through targeted institutional interventions (institutional meetings, proposals for changes in codes of conduct and use of terms in public documents), recommendations to National Council for Radio and Television) and the adoption in the first phase of our proposals for the use of inclusive language, people with mental health problems/mental disabilities have benefited in terms of the visibility of their stigmatisation and in terms of the pressure to change their living conditions by advocating for their rights.

 

See the Press Release with the Commitments here:

ΕΣΗΕΑ και ΕΣΡ στηρίζουν τις προσπάθειες καταπολέμησης του στίγματος ψυχικής υγείας στο δημόσιο λόγο - Σβήνουμε το στίγμα (svinoumetostigma.gr)

See the adoption of our recommendations for inclusive language here:

Εκθέσεις - Πορίσματα - Ειδική Επιτροπή Ελέγχου Προστασίας των Δικαιωμάτων των Ατόμων με Ψυχικές Διαταραχές - Υπουργείο Υγείας (moh.gov.gr)

 

Direct beneficiaries

218 trainees

12 Non Profit Organizations  - members of volunteer advocacy group,

 46 organizations that replicate our materials,

 11 institutional bodies + 2 members from: psychiatric and journalistic community at the round tables,

12 mental health service users in the focus groups,

46 Media replicating our campaign

Indirect beneficiaries

>2.000.000 (estimate)

WHO (8/6/2022) reports that 1 in 8 people worldwide live with a mental disorder.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders   

The project has significantly beneficial for people with mental health problems/mental disability in terms of visibility of their stigmatization and by putting pressure to change this attitude.  It has therefore contributed to improving their living conditions, through advocacy for their rights.

In relation to the population of our country and using the conservative estimation that for every person living with mental health problems at least 1 other person living close to him/her is equally affected, then the indirect beneficiaries are over 2,000,000 people.



Initiative Location

Nationwide


Working with Organization

Through the partnership we have been able to optimally promote advocacy by developing tools whose dissemination can bring about institutional and attitudinal change, while strengthening the (self-)advocacy dynamics of the target group.

The promotion of advocacy and self-advocacy is among the key strategic objectives of the  implementing agency SSP P. Sakellaropoulos. In our services the active participation of the mental health service users themselves is enhanced. 

Our partner Themistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation - Centre for European Constitutional Law has contributed significantly to the development of an advocacy and lobbying framework. The specific expertise of the institution strengthened the validity of the advocacy tools produced, bringing to the forefront the approach to destigmatisation as a human rights issue.   

Our partner Society for the Care and Rehabilitation of People with Psychosocial Problems, founded and managed by people with mental health problems, represents the target group for whom the tools of the project were used, but also produced based on the real experience they brought us, strengthening self-advocacy. Likewise, we drew on the experience brought to us by the members of our unpaid partner mental health service users' association "Self-representation".


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Workers Participation

SSP P. Sakellaropoulos

2 employees in the SSP P. Sakellaropoulos

7 new professionals in the SSP P. Sakellaropoulos

4 volunteers contributed 1263 volunteer hours

At the second level the 246 employees of  SSP P. Sakellaropoulos have participated in various activities of the project

Themistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation - Centre for European Constitutional Law : 9 employees

Society for the Care and Rehabilitation of People with Psychosocial Problems: 2 service users 


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Photos Videos

Benefits for Οrganization

  • The work of the SSP P. Sakellaropoulos gained a lot of publicity and the recognition of an already well-esteemed institution in the field of mental health was enhanced

12 articles/broadcasts/interviews in electronic media, radio, television

2 original articles (media initiative)

5 press releases.

261 posts in total on fb, twitter, site, 5 youtube videos.

46 media outlets reproduced our campaign.

Indicative (There are too many. If you are interested, you can contact us)

See the links below:

https://www.youtube.com/@user-bw8kr9lh1v

«Οι ταμπέλες δεν προορίζονται για τους ανθρώπους» - The Press Project - Ειδήσεις, Αναλύσεις, Ραδιόφωνο, Τηλεόραση

Το στίγμα της ψυχικής νόσου: «Ναι, έχω κατάθλιψη και δεν πρέπει να ντρέπομαι» - The Press Project - Ειδήσεις, Αναλύσεις, Ραδιόφωνο, Τηλεόραση

Η Ψυχολόγος MSc ΕΚΨ Π. Σακελλαρόπουλος, Π.Φίτσιου στο δελτίο του Star - STAR Κεντρικής Ελλάδας (digitalstar.gr)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5EMbTEr1kc

Όταν τα ΜΜΕ στοχοποιούν τη ψυχική υγεία - Ένα σποτ που πρέπει να δουν όλοι | News 24/7 (news247.gr)

Networking

46 organizations reproduced our project material, which increased the publicity, visibility, impact/influence of our work and the opportunities provided by networking. Through this project, our organisation has strengthened its position as an institution that motivates networking and synergies for the benefit of people. 

Lobbying for the rights in mental health

Through the institutional interventions of the project, SSP P. Sakellaropoulos, together with its partners, emerged as an important actor of influence on mental health rights and the fight against mental health stigma.

The  Society of Social Psychiatry P.Sakellaropoulos has been promoting self-advocacy and advocacy in mental health since the 1980s, before the term was even used, as D. Kritsotaki mentions in her research "Mental health advocacy: reassessing the history of mental health organizations in the second half of the twentieth century" (793875-ADMEHE-H2020-MSCA-IF-2017).  Though this project, the organization continues this important role with new means. 

[1]https://www.academia.edu/50345739/Report_on_the_results_of_the_analysis_of_the_research_project_Mental_health_advocacy_Reassessing_the_history_of_mental_health_organizations_in_the_second_half_of_the_twentieth_century_793875_ADMEHE_H2020_MSCA_IF_2017_#

 

 

Innovative tools for combatting stigma in mental health

At the same time, it developed significant innovative tools that make the organisation's work more effective in terms of community awareness and the quality of services provided to people with psychosocial problems.

The same benefits apply for our partners in the project.




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