Strength In Our Voices enables communities that embody mental wellness.
We create environments of trust and support for those impacted by mental health through open dialogue, education, empowerment, and positive change.
Strength in Our Voices is more than a group of people who want to do good; it’s a philosophy about how to live well. Each of us are in a position of power to make the world a better place. Together, we can improve public mental health outcomes and save lives.
We create safe spaces where people can talk openly and honestly with each other. Starting generative and positive conversations normalizes mental health and improves connection so we can be better equipped to help one another and ourselves.
We pair an open dialogue with education to inform the public about the scientific realities of mental health. Data-driven findings are critical to countering social stigma. The tools and techniques we disseminate help people find balance and harness the power of positive thinking.
We remind each other of the incredible power. Our thoughts shape our beliefs, which impacts our actions. Every action we take has the potential to make a huge impact: each of us fits within a larger, complex social network. Being aware of our position should empower us to play a role in jump-starting positive change
Positive change is all about taking action. We’re committed to acting to improve our own mental wellness, approach others with authenticity to share what we know and learn, and seek help or step in when we know someone needs it.
Our primary program is implementing Sources of Strength, an evidenced-based suicide prevention program with a proven capacity to positively change school culture. Taking an upstream approach enhances access to protective factors by pairing students with trusted adults and increasing the number of assets in their lives.
Certified members of our board train faculty and staff as adult advisors, then collaboratively train a diverse group of student Peer Leaders who serve as connectors to the rest of the school community. Specific activities promote acceptability of seeking help, improve communication, and develop healthy coping strategies for mental wellness.
Peer Leaders conduct well-defined messaging campaigns to change social norms and encourage help-seeking behaviors while spreading hope, help, and strength into every corner of the school.
As a DC-based nonprofit, we work with schools in the DCPS, APS, and FCPS school districts in Northern Virginia and Washington DC. To date, SIOV has trained 791 peer leaders and 256 adult advisors for a total estimated reach of 25,650 students.
We’re committed to empowerment at every stage of life, so our work doesn’t end at the school level. SiOV provides educational opportunities to inform the public about the scientific realities of mental health. Data-driven findings are critical to countering social stigma.
Our unique wellness events help people find balance, harness the power of positive thinking, and speak openly in a safe space. Starting conversations to normalize mental health strengthens connections and equips us to help one another and ourselves.We contribute to resilient communities by providing talks, presentations, and guided discussions to further mental wellness.