| NAMI New Hampshire
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“Helping others to understand mental illness, and to find support and hope.” — a NAMI NH volunteer, when asked what is most rewarding about the experience.
NAMI New Hampshire touched the lives of more than 50,000 people last year, mostly through the devotion of our volunteers. In fact, it is only through volunteer efforts that we’re able to provide the assortment of programming that helps us serve our mission – to improve the lives of all people affected by mental illness and suicide through support, education, and advocacy.
But why do folks volunteer with NAMI NH? We posed just this question at a recent volunteer event.
“You find NAMI by accident when you’re desperate; you stay because you become part of the NAMI family,” one participant remarked, and others nodded. In fact, many folks find NAMI NH support groups when they are struggling with a new diagnosis in themselves or a loved one. Sharing with folks with similar experiences can be enlightening and comforting. Another person described the importance of paying it forward. “Everyone deserves someone to talk to.”
“I don’t know how I got connected to NAMI but now that I’m in it, I’m in it to win it,” another volunteer said. Indeed, as we come together to spread hope, we grow. Volunteering is a two-way street. A Family-to-Family teacher explained, “We learn from those taking our class.” NAMI NH offers educational programs designed to increase resilience in coping with mental health challenges.
Some of us learn through experience. “I didn’t know about mental illness until I experienced my own symptoms,” said one volunteer. One of the things we learn about in NAMI NH support groups and educational programs is that self-care is paramount in living with our own mental health issues, or in caring for someone who has been dealt this challenge.
“I live in a small town and the stigma is crushing – with NAMI we are working through that here,” noted another volunteer. We envision a world where stigma doesn’t exist, and our volunteers work to bust stigma, sometimes one person – or one town – at a time. Presenters spread hope by sharing their personal stories in a variety of settings, including hospitals, classrooms, and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainings.
We celebrate our volunteers for all the reasons they have joined the effort.
Interested in joining us? Learn more at naminh.org/volunteer. This page includes our volunteer application – we hope to hear from you!