Winter 2006

Announcements

· The twelfth edition of the Support Group Directory will be available early October 2008. The updated version has also been updated at www.prairienet.org/selfhelp. For print copy requests call Family Service Self-Help Center or stop by the Family Service office after October 6^th, 2008.

· The 2nd annual Champaign County Disability Resource Expo will be held on Saturday, October 25^th, 2008, Lincoln Square, Urbana. To display at the resource expo or for more information contact Barb Bressner (217) 840-3198 or bbressner@att.net Sponsors for this event include the Champaign County Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Boards, area businesses and organizations including the Self-Help Center of Family Service.

Group Updates

Groups in Formation:

Compassionate Communication – Based on the book by Marshall Rosenberg, “Nonviolent Communication” this group will work to put into practice communication from the heart in order to live with respect for one another. Contact local self-helper, Mark Zinzow, at marksz@gmail.com

Families of Persons with Depression – There is interest in holding a meeting for families and friends of persons with depression as a part of the Depression and BiPolar Support Alliance of Urbana-Champaign. For meeting information contact Zelig Bartell at zsbartell@yahoo.com or 355-5128.

New Groups:

Divorce/Separation Support Group: Discussion and support for persons coping with a divorce or separation. The first meeting was held Tuesday, June 10^th in Champaign. For meeting information email mark@marketype.com or go to the website http://divorcesupport.meetup.com/507/

Grant Writing Support Group: This group is for anyone who is writing, has written or potentially will write or participate in the writing of a grant proposal. The group shares sources, provides feedback and helps to network organizations. To be put on the mailing list for meeting notices contact grants@parkland.edu or phone the Office of College Development at Parkland College 351-2363.

Parent/Child Interaction Group: Crisis Nursery sponsors groups for parents and their toddler children ages 1-3 for the purpose of strengthening family bonds. The current group is meeting every Monday from 3-4 p.m. until July 14^th at the Crisis Nursery, 1309 W. Hill St., Urbana. Call Cherylanda Trice 337-2731 to learn about upcoming groups.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group: This group is a safe and non-judgmental group for women to address their fears and concerns, to share their hopes and dreams for their families, to enhance support and to express their feelings beyond “the blues”. The group meets the 1^st and 3^rd Monday evenings and 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday afternoons at Family Service. The group is for women 18+ who are pregnant or have had a baby within the last year. Call Hellen 378-8575 or Sue Osborne 202-0943 for information or prior to attending the group.

Women to Women: This group ministers to the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical needs of women. Meetings are the 2^nd Monday starting with a family style dinner at 5:15 p.m. followed by discussion from 6-7:30 p.m. Free child care is available. Meetings are held at Crossroad Life of Community Church, 310 Borman Ave., Rantoul. Contact Eldress Regina Crider 892-4156 for additional information on the group.

Call for Mowrer Self-Help/Support Group Award Nominations

As a part of the Fall 2008 Self-Help/Support Group Conference, we would like to recognize individuals and groups for their commitment and outstanding contributions to self-help and mutual aid. The awards are named for Hobart and Molly Mowrer, who pioneered the development of self-help and mutual assistance locally, especially through their Integrity Groups. Winners will be recognized at the October 4^th celebration, in the next edition of The Self-Helper newsletter and in other forms of publicity (with the nominee’s consent; anonymity will be provided upon request.) Please give serious consideration to nominating a deserving group or person; you are welcome to nominate for more than one award category. Photocopy the nomination form as needed.

Eligibility

q Must be for contributions related to self-help groups. A Self-Help Group is a voluntary gathering of people who share a common problem, condition or history. By coming together members share support and ideas on how to cope and live more productive and fulfilling lives. Groups should be free of charge or only charging a nominal fee to sustain group activities (i.e. not a fee for service rendered by a professional therapist.)

q No group or individual will receive the award in successive years.

Criteria and Attributes

q Active - The individual or group was active over a period of time; not just a figurehead or a group that met infrequently or not at all.

q Impact - Made a significant contribution in self-help/mutual aid or went beyond the scope of the original group purpose to benefit the group membership or the larger community.

q Challenge - The nominee overcame challenges which contributed significantly to the group’s ability to carry out its mission in the community.

Procedure and Rules

q Please use the nomination form. Be succinct and answer the questions directly on the form. One additional page for responses along with newsletters, brochures, press clippings or other items of interest are acceptable.

q Please secure the permission of the individual/group you are nominating. We will respect anonymity, such as the use of a first name only, upon request. We will obtain consent of group/individual prior to publication of award announcements.

q The nominator and nominee should make every effort to be present at the Award Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, October 4th at The Forum at Carle, Urbana.

*The deadline for submission of nominations is Friday, September 5^th, 2008.

Please return the nomination form by Friday, September 5^th, 2008 to:

The Self-Help Center of Family Service

405 S. State St., Champaign, IL 61820

or Fax to (217) 352-9512

Thank You

RSVP Volunteer Elizabeth Easley for her ongoing assistance with clerical projects;

Robbie Russell and Michelle Adeniyi for their assistance with updating information on line and in preparation for the 12^th edition of the Support Group Directory;

Shana Bobbitt, Intern, Human and Community Development Department, University of Illinois for her assistance updating group information in preparation for the 12^th edition of the Support Group Directory;

Ted Kappes, Prairienet Community Networking Initiative, for his ongoing assistance with updating Self-Help Center information on the website;

David Gordon, Urbana Adult Education, for his generous assistance with the layout and production of this edition of the Self-Helper newsletter;

Renyce Ward, Student, School of Social Work, University of Illinois for her assistance in planning the fall Self-Help conference

Ginny Sims, Student, Parkland College Nursing Program for her publicity design work for the April Therapeutic Writing workshops and the fall self-help conference.

Margaret Stanton, Jessica Culp, Robbie Russell for their assistance planning the Jason Gray concert

Zelig Bartell, Imani Bazzell, Christine Bruns, Dennis Cockrum, Sue Keller, Suzanne Martinez, Ann Russell, Tom Seals, Margaret Stanton, Jenise Stump for their assistance planning the fall self-help conference.

Staff

Sheryl Bautch - Exec. Dir. of Family Service

Annie Clay - Program Director

Sharon Monday-Dorsey - Coordinator

Elizabeth Easley, Michelle Adeniyi, Robbie Russell, Renyce Ward – Volunteers

The Self-Helper

published by The Self-Help Center

A Program of Family Service

405 South State Street

Champaign, IL 61820

217-352-0099

e-mail: selfhelp@prairienet.org

Web: www.prairienet.org/selfhelp/