WHERE HOPE IS FOUND
IB PERSONAL PROJECT
In our country, mental illness awareness is spreading like wildfire. Especially in the COVID-19 Pandemic, mental illness has soared. Yet those who statically have the most of it, cannot afford the resources to contain it.
Through my personal project, my goal is to help to provide resources to the income insecure population through producing on the topic of mental illness for the income insecure.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Through my Personal Project, my research paper, Where Hope is Found will be sent to the Hope Clinic, a nonprofit clinic in Ypsilanti that provides free medical, dental, and food for those in income insecurity.
Hope clinic is currently in the process of developing a new mental illness program for those who cannot afford further resources; the leadership told me they needed research to jump-start their program.
PAPER CRITERIA
THROUGH MY PAPER I...
ADDRESSED
Difficulties of those in poverty, or income insecure while having a mental illness.
EXPLAINED
Connections between mental illness and poverty and homelessness.
RESEARCHED
Existing mental health facilities and programs.
EVALUATED
Current resources at the Hope Clinic.
EXAMINED
Current local mental health programs willing to partner with the Hope Clinic.
RESEARCHED
The needed steps and processes of developing a fully functioning mental health program at the Hope Clinic.
WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS PROJECT?
From a young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of giving back in meaningful ways. Every Christmas since I can remember, my family and I would stand in front of South Main Street and ring the Salvation Army bell to raise money for those in need .
My dad then took a job at the Hope Clinic, a non-profit organization in Ypsilanti and Wayne/Westland, dedicated to caring for those without healthcare providing free medical care, dental care, and food along with a host of other services including social work, free laundry, and baby care. I volunteered once a month along with my family but was never fully interested in the practice.
Then came COVID-19. As I was struggling with my own mental health, my father suggested I should volunteer at Hope Clinic weekly to increase my socialization, and see the world from other perspectives. I was astonished at what I found.
I remember vividly, after around three weeks of working at Hope Clinic, being approached by a sobbing woman, who was screaming at the volunteers, crying that she was alone and isolated, and just wanted to die. I will never forget her words when she screamed that she wanted the whole world to blow up, and her with it.
It was then I realized my problems were insignificant in comparison to the intense and agonizing struggles the clients of Hope Clinic faced. After the encounter, I asked a Hope Clinic volunteer what facilities were available to help those struggling with mental illness, and was astonished to find there were few resources available.
Through my IB Personal Project, I want to explore how to help clients at the Hope Clinic to improve their mental health. To that end, I researched and wrote this paper and created a website dedicated to helping those living in poverty and facing mental illness.
My hope is that this research will ultimately help the Hope Clinic staff and volunteers to provide implementation tools for mental health resources so that the woman who appeared so desperate--and others like her--can receive the help she deserves.
GLOBAL CONTEXT
IDENTITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS
When having a mental illness, entire relationships can shift, affecting couples, families, caretakers, and friends, impacting every area of a person’s life.
Additionally, one's own identities can be affected. Mental illness can connect to addiction, abuse, and mental illness itself can warp one’s own self-worth and values.
"Both treatment without housing and housing without treatment is ineffective for homeless individuals with mental illness. "
(Mental Health, Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School).
PROJECT PROCESS
PHASE 1- INVESTIGATION
2. Global Context
3. Smart Goal
4. Planning sheet
6. Areas to investigate
PHASE 2- DEVOLPMENT
2. Researching 1- effects of mental health
3. Researching 2- resources available
4. Researching 3- Research effective models
5. Task 4- Interviewing and Stats
7. Task 6- pictures
PHASE 3- DRAFTING
1. Task 1- introduction to topic
2. Task 2- drafting paragraphs
3. Task 3- drafting conclusion
4. Task 4- Create website
6. Task 6- Draft of report
7. Task 7- Finalize PP report, process journal, and product