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NAMI Ending the Silence

4/5/2025 - 4/6/2025

Online

What am I applying to lead?

NAMI Ending the Silence is:

A 50-minute mental health presentation for middle and high school aged youth available at no-cost to schools, youth clubs, and youth groups.

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Thanks!
NAMIWA Staff

Next Steps:

  1. Your local affiliate will reach out to interview you over the phone or on Zoom.

  2. You will then be interviewed by the state trainer on Zoom.

  3. If you are accepted for training, you will be sent a binder of training materials.

  4. On the day of, you will log into your Zoom training!

Presented by a trained 2-person team consisting of:

  • A young adult (age 18-35) living with a mental health condition, who will serve as the Young Adult Presenter.

  • An adult (age 18 or older) living in recovery with a mental health condition, or family member of an individual living with a mental health condition, who will serve as the Lead Presenter.

  • This presentation educates audience members about mental health conditions and their warning signs and provides audience members with resources and tools to help themselves, friends, and family members who may be in need of support. The program has three presentations designed for three audiences: students, families and school staff.

  • Hearing a personal story from an individual living with a mental health condition helps to dispel myths, instill a message of hope and recovery, and encourage audience members to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.


ETS reduces stigma through:

  • Education — Provides accurate information about mental illness to promote understanding and dispel myths.

  • Personal Contact — Puts a human face to mental illness and provides hope that recovery is possible.

  • Individuals who have lived experience with a mental health condition and are interested in educating students, families, and school staff about mental health/illness. If an affiliate is working to implement the program and wants to train their first Ending the Silence presenters, we ask that they submit a 2-person team consisting of a Young Adult and Lead Presenter, if possible.


Who can lead?

  • A 2-person team consists of a Young Adult Presenter, a young adult (age 18-35) living with a mental health condition who is willing to share their story, and a Lead Presenter, an adult (age 18 or older) who is either a person living with a mental health condition or is a family member or caregiver of an individual living with a mental health condition.

  • A current NAMI Member.

  • Able to attend the entire two full days, weekend intensive training.

  • Because NAMI Ending the Silence is taught in schools and youth settings, applicants should have flexible schedules that allow them to present on weekdays during school hours.


Training Description:

  • The Ending the Silence training is two day online training. The first day is a 6-8 hour online training gives you resources and support as you prepare your draft presentation script. The second day of training gives you the opportunity to practice your presentation in front of a friendly audience and our state trainers, who give supportive and constructive feedback. You will leave the training feeling confident and prepared to give Ending the Silence presentations.

  • The Lead Presenter will be trained to give the 25-minute educational PowerPoint presentation, and will complete the NAMI ETS Lead Students online training. The Young Adult Presenter will be trained to give both the 25-minute educational PowerPoint presentation as well as trained to share their story of recovery, and will complete both the NAMI ETS Lead Students and the NAMI ETS Young Adult online trainings.

  • After completing the in-person training, all Ending the Silence presenters will have the option to train in additional EtS programs.


Registration and Cost Information:

  • NAMI Washington will cover the cost of all training materials, food, and lodging. Your NAMI affiliate is asked to cover your travel expenses. Lodging will be at a nearby hotel, and is double occupancy, which means you will be sharing a room with another attendee. If you require single occupancy, arrangements will need to be made prior to your attendance, and there will be additional costs which will be the responsibility of the attendee.

  • If there are more applications than spots for the training, a waiting list will be created.

  • If you need to cancel after being accepted, notify the NAMI Washington staff, no later than a week before the training so we can fill your spot. If you do not notify us of your cancellation, your affiliate will be charged a $50 cancellation fee. Cancelled spots are filled with applications from the waiting list for the class, not by sending another affiliate member.

Who can lead or present?

NAMI Ending the Silence for Students is designed for middle and high school-age youth. The program is typically presented in a health, science or psychology class, but may also be provided to youth groups, clubs and after-school programs.


NAMI Ending the Silence for Families is specifically designed for families and caregivers of middle and high-school youth. NAMI Ending the Silence for School Staff are for all staff who work in middle and high schools.


Schedule an Ending the Silence Presentation
If you would like to host a NAMI Ending the Silence presentation at your school, please contact Deidra Burke NAMI Washington’s Youth & Young Adult Programs Manager(dburke@namiwa.org).
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