Activating Hope

Activating Hope builds upon the lived experience of people who have been through suicidal struggles to help others and prevent future suicidal behaviour.

Activating Hope, is a rapid-implementation approach to expanding and integrating the value of lived experience of suicide within organisations, systems, and communities. This innovative and change-making two-day workshop will be led by international thought leader Eduardo Vega and will assist organisations/communities in their goals for a) including, b) expanding and c) integrating lived experience in their organisations and communities.

This interactive workshop is designed purely to give reality to the aspiration of both organisations and those with lived experience to bring about change in how services are developed and delivered with the active involvement of the lived-experience community. Not only does this build on Government focus on building stronger, more resilient communities to support those experiencing mental health challenges, but it will recognised the incredible value that those with lived experience can bring to this work.

About the presenter:
Eduardo Vega, MA
For over twenty-five years, Eduardo Vega has worked as a leader in advocacy and transformative behavioural health programs and practices internationally.

This has included providing technical assistance, research and training projects, and major policy initiatives in suicide prevention, stigma and discrimination reduction. Also, consumer rights and empowerment, community integration, self-help and peer support services.

From 2010- 2016 he served as President/CEO of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, and was the founder and Principal Investigator of the USA Center for Dignity, Recovery & Empowerment. Eduardo now serves on the American Steering Committee of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Global Anti-Stigma Alliance and the Executive Committee of the US National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, through which he founded the first national Suicide Attempt Survivor Task Force.

A person with lived experience of suicide and a consumer advocate himself, he helped found the Destination Dignity! Project, United Suicide Survivors International and other transformative initiatives. Eduardo is a former Fulbright Specialist and California State Commissioner for Mental Health, and for his work in culturally focused programs, stigma reduction, empowerment and systems change he has been recognized by the United States Senate, the US Surgeon General and others. He holds an M.A. in Psychology from New School for Social Research.

Scholarships Available
Wanting to attend this workshop but struggling with the cost?
The Mental Health Foundation and Grow invite scholarship applications from individuals with ‘lived experience of mental distress​' or those who identify as Māori, Pacific, LGBTQ+ who are working within mental health, education, justice or social service settings.

Please email feona@grow.co.nz with why you are seeking a scholarship, and include a contact number in your email. Important - in your email subject please include the date & location of the workshop you are interested in.

Scholarships are limited to 50% of the workshop fees only.

If you are sending 4 or more delegates email us to get a discounted rate.