I’ve written a lot about different ways to get involved in advocacy, particularly mental health advocacy. So I was intrigued when I recently came across a resource called “Mental Health and Wellness Through Civic Participation: Why Your Opinion Matters.”
This guide, published by the Temple University Collaborative On Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities, discusses several ways for people with mental health challenges to get involved in civic engagement and it outlines the significant benefits of these activities. Let’s do a quick review.
The guide defines civic engagement as “being involved in your community and wanting it to be a better place for all the people that live there.” However, the primary focus of the guide is on political engagement.
There are several potential personal and societal benefits from getting involved in civic engagement, including:
- Improving your community
- Making new friends
- Becoming healthier
- Increasing self-esteem
- Feeling better in the long-term
- Making a difference
A key point is that having a mental illness doesn’t limit one’s ability to be actively involved in government. In fact, research has shown that both voters with and without mental illness were able to cast intelligent and thoughtful votes based on their own self-interest. Additional studies show that people who are more engaged in their community, including government, have better health.
Ways to get involved in political engagement are numerous and varied. They include:
- Stay informed about current events through reliable media sources.
- Contact your elected representatives (state and Federal) to express your opinions.
- Sign a petition for a cause you support.
- Go to an organized protest or march.
- Attend a speech or political rally.
- Volunteer to be a polling official.
- Contribute time or money to a candidate you endorse.
- Donate time or money to a political organization in line with your views.
It’s also critical to vote to support the candidates you believe can represent you well. Understand these important elements about the voting process:
- You are eligible to vote if you are a US citizen and at least 18 years old.
- Register to vote by going to your state’s online voter registration website.
- Know the dates for primary and general elections.
- Choose the candidates that are in line with your views.
- Know when and where you are supposed to go to cast your vote or if you qualify for an absentee ballot.
- Vote!
While these materials were designed to focus on people with mental health challenges, they apply to almost everyone. If you would like more resources on this topic, I highly recommend the Temple Collaborative website. Civic and political engagement are important in so many ways. Learn more and take steps to get actively involved.
Here’s a question: What are some ways you can get more involved in your community? Please leave a comment. Also, please subscribe to my blog and feel free to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram, “like” my Facebook page, or connect on LinkedIn. Finally, if you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend.