BE THE LIGHT PREVENTION RALLY 2023
PREVENTION RALLY 2023
Join Voices for Prevention on Thursday, September 14th for a day of discussion and learning on the topics of Substance Abuse Prevention, Sucide Prevention & Mental Health Promotion.
Follow our Instagram and check www.v4pga.org for more information and how to register.
YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT ART CONTEST
ADVOCACY
Even though the Georgia legislative session has come to a close for the year, advocacy efforts are just getting started. This is a time when advocates should be building relationships with their legislators with regular communication efforts, inviting them to take part in events your organization has going on and assist them by continuing to educate them on the issues at hand. You can find more information about advocacy by visiting the V4P website and downloading the Beginners Advocacy Toolkit- Here (https://v4pga.org/advocacytoolkit/) or by visiting https://www.cadca.org/news/advocacy-toolkit-released and downloading the CADCA Advocacy Toolkit.
YOUTH
Voices for Prevention (V4P) hosted the Youth Advocacy Summit on July 15th at the Hilton Marietta Conference Center and Hotel. 50 youth were in attendance.
The day started with breakfast and announcements from Carmen Caldwell. DJ Daniel Espeute turned up the music and lead the attendees in fun and dance. The keynote speaker was Yvonne Harvey Williams with Yvonne Inspires. Carmen Caldwell and Brian Miller delivered a presentation on the Basics of Advocacy, where youth were introduced to the terms of advocacy and successful advocacy campaigns. After lunch, Debbie Leifer provided entertainment with a magic show. The day wrapped up with attendees participating in dance and enjoying games.
The Youth Advocacy Summit was held for youth ages 12-18 who were interested in advocacy related to the 3 topics of Substance Abuse Prevention, Suicide Prevention, and Mental Health Promotion. This event was a great success. Click below to view the recap video.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
V4P wants to hear
from you.
Youth Action
Teams
Share with V4P
Our readers come to V4P to hear and learn what is happening in the world of suicide prevention and substance abuse prevention. We strive to gain as much information as possible to share with V4P members and others across the state because knowledge is power.
V4P wants to hear from you! We invite you to let us know if you are having any future advocacy events, whether it’s a webinar or virtual event that is open to the public that you would like to share. We call on our youth to send in articles and input for ways we can advocate for suicide prevention and substance abuse prevention. If you know of any Office of Behavioral Health Prevention and Federal Grants (OBHPFG) provider activity updates for the state of Georgia, please share them. We encourage all members to let us know if you have any accomplishments of individual members and member organizations that you would like to announce. Click the link below to share and we look forward to hearing from you
V4P Free Membership
To become a member with V4P is free. Membership includes exclusive webinars, networking opportunities, and much more. You can also be involved with V4P events via our social media accounts. Our social media handle on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook is V4PGA. So, click that follow button and be a part of the V4PGA experience!
Upcoming Events
2023
- National Prevention Network Conference (Birmingham, AL)August 15 – 17
- GA School of Addiction Studies (Savannah, GA) August 27 – 31
- National Suicide Prevention Month September
- Suicide Prevention Week September 10 – 16
2023 Continued
- World Suicide Prevention Day September 10
- Be the Light Prevention Rally September 14
- Bullying Prevention Month October
- Red Ribbon Week October 23 – 31
INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT
6 Summer Activities to Support Your Mental Health
Summer is a great time to be active and get outside. There are many summer activities that you can do to support your mental health and practice self-care. Here are 6 of them:
- Go outside and explore. Bring a book with you to read in a shady area, take a walk, or go hiking. The sun’s natural vitamin D can significantly influence your mental health.
- Start a garden. Gardening can be a great mindfulness tool and social activity you can do with friends, family, and other community members.
- Make a summertime playlist. Music is a great way to improve your mental health, motivation, and mood.
- Clean. Although cleaning may not seem like the most exciting activity, evidence shows that a clean room improves your mental health. Play your summer playlist, open the windows, and have fun with it. Summer is a great time to hold yard sales or re-decorate spaces.
- Attend community events. Go to the local farmer’s market, outdoor movies, or festivals. Having fun plans gives you something to look forward to and be excited about.
- Try outdoor meditation or yoga. Practicing mindfulness can help support your mental health. Doing it outside will allow you to soak in the sunlight and get closer to nature.