The Mental Health Center at the Institute of Hygiene directly coordinates “Žvelk giliau” (Look Deeper) Mental Health Ambassadors’ Initiative wich is based on UK‘s “Time to Change” anti-stigma model and the concept of people with lived experience (PWLE). Ambassadors are individuals who have encountered mental health challenges and share their stories in public or personally to the participants of the event they were invited to, including their experiences with mental health services. These ambassadors aim to shift societal attitudes toward mental health issues, fostering positive perceptions and supportive behaviours toward individuals facing these challenges and their families. Currently, 91 ambassador have received specialized training; they are active and prepared to share their stories at events and within their communities across various regions of Lithuania. It is noteworthy that “Žvelk giliau” Mental Health Ambassadors express a strong interest not only in sharing their stories but also in forming peer-support groups to connect with one another and exchange experiences as Ambassadors. This peer-support concept within the “Žvelk giliau” Mental Health Ambassadors’ Initiative has not yet been fully developed; however, we are committed to meeting this need. Nevertheless, since the Ambassadors live across different regions in Lithuania, organizing in-person meetings can be challenging. Therefore, we are preparing to facilitate online meetings (via Zoom) to foster connection, mutual support, and community among the Ambassadors. Additionally, we envision training 1-2 ambassadors in each region to lead peer-to-peer meetings for Ambassadors active in their respective areas in the future.
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