Upcoming Programs and Events

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
June 14, 2010 at 7pm

Volunteers wanted for
STAND UP FOR MENTAL HEALTH!

AMI-Quebec is looking for 10 volunteers to be part of a bilingual Stand Up For Mental Health group where people with mental health issues do stand-up comedy all about their mental health journeys. Stand Up For Mental Health was featured in the CBC documentary Cracking Up!

Led by David Granirer, a counselor and a stand-up comic, Stand Up For Mental Health aims to reduce public stigma around mental illness and spread a message of hope and empowerment. Half the group will do their acts in English, and half will do their acts in French

HOW DOES IT WORK?
We will have 10 weekly classes held at AMI-Quebec, Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. starting April 7th through June 9th, 2010. David will work with each comic individually via phone and email. He will help you figure out what to write about, help you write your act, and give you general coaching. Your final act will be between 3-5 minutes.

You’ll also have a dress rehearsal with David the day of the show. And don’t worry if you have a problem memorizing, because you can use cheat-sheets on stage.

WHEN IS THE SHOW?
Mid June 2010

HOW DOES THE SHOW WORK?
The show will be about 60-90 minutes in total. David will run and MC the show.

Criteria: Participants must:

• Have a mental health illness, addiction or mental health issues
• Have stable housing
• A support system of both peers and professionals
• Be reasonably stable on any medication they are taking
• Speak both English and French
• Be capable of sitting in class and paying attention
• Have the motivation and desire to create healthy change
• And above all else, have a desire to do stand up comedy

BUT I’VE NEVER DONE STAND-UP COMEDY!
Don’t worry. David has turned dozens of mental health consumers into stand-up comics and he will do the same for you. Go to www.standupformentalhealth.com to see testimonials and video footage of them.

You’ll not only have an amazing experience, but you’ll also get to reduce public stigma around mental illness and have some great laughs.

People with mental illness are always being told what they can’t do. In this show, they get to prove what they CAN do!

Those interested or if you have any questions, please contact Kimberley at 514-486-1448, familyoutreach@amiquebec.org

Wear the button, spread the word

One in five. Twenty percent of the population. That's how many Canadians will be affected by some degree of mental illness in their lifetime.

When you wear a 1 in 5 button, you'll be teaching people that mental illness isn't some rare misfortune that only besets strangers. Rather, it can and does intrude uninvited on any family anywhere, even the next door neighbors.

AMI created the 1 in 5 button as a fundraising project to help fight stigma and increase understanding of the prevalence of mental illness. The buttons cost $5 each and are available at the office.

Call 514-486-1448 and button up your overcoat, your T-shirt, your jacket, your...

For more information on these upcoming events call 514-486-1448.