What’s my why?
We’re here in the new year and I am seriously so excited to get back into things and run more mental health courses with my amazing community.
Last year we trained an incredible 446 people in mental health first aid, and reached even more through our other programs! 2021 was a whirlwind for many reasons, but I am beyond proud and honestly overjoyed at the impact we were able to create.
When I was reflecting on last year and thinking about what I want 2022 to look like, I stopped and asked myself what’s my why?
For me, it’s obvious.
Meraki was born from my experience working in the mental health space and my own personal experience with people in my life who’ve been through mental health issues. I created Meraki to educate individuals and the community around mental health, and equip the everyday person with the tools and skills to look after themselves and the people around them.
The incredible thing is that all of the feedback I’ve received from last year has confirmed that our courses are doing just that. People have told me they’re feeling more confident to provide mental health first aid, more equipped to support the people around them, and that their previous stigmas around mental health have changed.
All of this amazing feedback shows me that it is so important to continue what we’ve been doing, and to grow and reach even more individuals and communities.
Which is why in 2022, we want to double our impact and train over 800 people in mental health first aid.
I know most of you reading this have probably done one of my courses already (thank you!), and you may be wondering what else you can do to support my goal and empower your community.
I would be eternally grateful if you could simply start the conversation about mental health first aid with your friends and family. Meraki is about putting mental wellbeing on the table, one conversation at a time - so please, have the sometimes awkward and uncomfortable conversation with people you love. Share what you’ve learned, break down the stigma, and invite people to join our MHFA courses. The more people in our lives who are trained in mental health first aid, the safer and happier we will all be!
Happy New Year Meraki friends - I can’t wait for what’s in store!