Beyond the circular firing squadBy Hopeworkscommunity
Too many mental health advocates are more concerned more with the health of the organization they represent or interest they speak for than with the health of the people they are advocating for. Too many times people are fighting for their niche, their place and seem to lose sight of the fact there is only one fight. One person described it as “friendly fire.” Another person told me the people on his side were far more dangerous than those not. Another person used the best phrase (and I am paraphrasing). He said mental health advocacy was sometimes more like a “circular firing squad.” We shoot fast and furious. But we use so much energy with each other there is little left over. Our oversized egos and lack of agreement are not found real convincing by those we are trying to convince. What you stand for makes little difference when we dont get along well enough to stand together.
There are notable exceptions to this. There are more and more attempts at coalition building. Some of them have the potential to become something that makes a difference. I was fortunate to be part of the beginning of such an effort this past weekend.
The DBSA has decided to try and have a bigger role in public policy. Their approach to doing this is worth sharing.
They started this past weekend with a small conference in Washington DC. It was a conference first of all for ordinary people. It was not identified by “superstar” presenters. The people listening was from the beginning of the first day more important than the people talking.
Ordinary people with the lived experience of mental health issues from 4 states (Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, and New Jersey) as well as the District of Columbia were chosen as a seed group to start the process.
The general idea was simple. Teach people the skills needed to persuade, influence, and interact with legislators, and others who make decisions that affect the welfare of those struggling with mental health issues in their lives. Find ways to give them the chance to put these skills to use. Have them share these skills with others as possible.
Everything was about connection. The message was clear that what DBSA did was not important. What they did with others was. The value of coalition was clear. The people that advocate are not nearly as important as those they advocate for.
I really liked the assumption that first of all that being skilled made a difference. I liked even better the idea that ordinary people could learn these skills. I liked best of all the idea that with all this ordinary people make a difference.
We listened to a lot of people who had walked the walk. People from the autism world who had took a country where only one state covered autism treatment and created a country where 33 states now cover and a 34th on board. We listened to people who had worked in legislative offices and knew what didnt work. We listened to people who had been working on coalition building in their own states. We listened to a lot and left with a template of how to make a difference.
It was a good start, but like all seeds it is best judged by its fruit.
There is much to say and do. There is much to say and do better. There is much to do together.
With the firing squad it is time to straighten the line.
Rate this:
Rate This
Share this:
Like this:
This entry was posted on July 29, 2013 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Too many mental health advocates are more concerned more with the health of the organization they represent or interest they speak for than with the health of the people they are advocating for. Too many times people are fighting for their niche, their place and seem to lose sight of the fact there is only one fight. One person described it as “friendly fire.” Another person told me the people on his side were far more dangerous than those not. Another person used the best phrase (and I am paraphrasing). He said mental health advocacy was sometimes more like a “circular firing squad.” We shoot fast and furious. But we use so much energy with each other there is little left over. Our oversized egos and lack of agreement are not found real convincing by those we are trying to convince. What you stand for makes little difference when we dont get along well enough to stand together.
There are notable exceptions to this. There are more and more attempts at coalition building. Some of them have the potential to become something that makes a difference. I was fortunate to be part of the beginning of such an effort this past weekend.
The DBSA has decided to try and have a bigger role in public policy. Their approach to doing this is worth sharing.
They started this past weekend with a small conference in Washington DC. It was a conference first of all for ordinary people. It was not identified by “superstar” presenters. The people listening was from the beginning of the first day more important than the people talking.
Ordinary people with the lived experience of mental health issues from 4 states (Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, and New Jersey) as well as the District of Columbia were chosen as a seed group to start the process.
The general idea was simple. Teach people the skills needed to persuade, influence, and interact with legislators, and others who make decisions that affect the welfare of those struggling with mental health issues in their lives. Find ways to give them the chance to put these skills to use. Have them share these skills with others as possible.
Everything was about connection. The message was clear that what DBSA did was not important. What they did with others was. The value of coalition was clear. The people that advocate are not nearly as important as those they advocate for.
I really liked the assumption that first of all that being skilled made a difference. I liked even better the idea that ordinary people could learn these skills. I liked best of all the idea that with all this ordinary people make a difference.
We listened to a lot of people who had walked the walk. People from the autism world who had took a country where only one state covered autism treatment and created a country where 33 states now cover and a 34th on board. We listened to people who had worked in legislative offices and knew what didnt work. We listened to people who had been working on coalition building in their own states. We listened to a lot and left with a template of how to make a difference.
It was a good start, but like all seeds it is best judged by its fruit.
There is much to say and do. There is much to say and do better. There is much to do together.
With the firing squad it is time to straighten the line.
Rate this:
Rate This
Share this:
- StumbleUpon
- Digg
- Facebook5
- Twitter1
- Tumblr
- LinkedIn2
- Google +1
Like this:
This entry was posted on July 29, 2013 at 2:41 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.