What is NAMI?
NAMI stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI was founded in Madison, Wisconsin by a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 which has now blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health.
NAMI's Values:
Hope: We believe in the possibility of recovery, wellness and the potential in all of us.
Inclusion: We embrace diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives.
Empowerment: We promote confidence, self-efficacy and service to our mission.
Compassion: We practice respect, kindness and empathy.
Fairness: We fight for equity and justice.
What is NAMI-UW?
NAMI-UW is a student organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison dedicated to promoting mental health and fighting the stigma against mental illness through education, advocacy and support.
The mission at NAMI-UW is to fight the stigma against mental illness by educating ourselves and the public, advocating for the rights of people with mental illness, and supporting our fellow students on matters of mental health. We primarily serve the student community at the University of Wisconsin, but also strive to expand our work to neighboring communities and internationally.
Education
NAMI-UW offers bi-weekly meetings that educate their members by inviting guest speakers who present on a variety of topics that are applicable and related to mental health.
Advocate
NAMI-UW holds numerous opportunities to work towards public support of mental illness such as volunteering and fundraising events.
Support
NAMI-UW offers a variety of social events specifically catered to upcoming holidays and member interests. These events allow members to get to know each other better in an inclusive environment, while also seeking the benefits of integrated self care activities.
The Green Bandana Project
History behind the Green Bandana Project
After losing an uncle and a close friend to suicide in high school, Conlin Bass went to college avidly looking for ways to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental illnesses and to normalize seeking care for mental health. As part of this mission, he founded The Bandana Project (BP) on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus January of 2016 with the help of his NAMI On Campus chapter. The Bandana Project is a simple yet innovative suicide prevention and mental health awareness movement. Members tie a lime-green bandana to their backpack, signifying they are in possession of campus-specific and national resources. This proliferates resources, normalizes and de-stigmatizes getting help, and provides invaluable, unspoken solidarity with those struggling.
Background
There are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses annually in the United States. Before graduation, 1 in 10 students will have considered suicide. Students aged 15-24 are in the highest risk group for a majority of mental illnesses, though 1 in 4 will not seek help or treatment. This trend must stop, and it starts withThe Green Bandana Project. When students receive a bandana, we will give them 3-5 resource cards to always carry with them should they be approached.
Purpose
The Bandana Project is a program designed to spread awareness of resources for those with mental illness. The lime green bandanas, to be distributed across campus, are attached to students’ backpacks. This indicates that they are a safe individual to approach with mental health-related issues, that they know where resources are, and that they hold a few resource cards (provided by the UWPD) with outlets to get help and support in times of crisis such as UHS, NAMI-UW, and National Crisis Lines. Not only does the program give tangible resourcefulness to an individual, but provides invaluable unspoken support. If someone sees a lime green bandana on the backpack of a stranger, it is a sign of stigma-free, quiet solidarity. They will know that they are not alone in their struggle.
Learn more below!
Currently, I am on the executive board for NAMI-UW as their Events Coordinator. I wanted to bring awareness to our student organization's Green Bandana Project by posting about it on my blog. I am very passionate about The Green Bandana Project; the powerful message and story behind each green bandana worn lets me know that I am not alone. When I see my peers walking around campus wearing green bandanas on their backpacks, it brings me a sense of unity and comfort to know that there are many people at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who're support those who struggle with mental illness and are fighting to de-stigmatize mental health.
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