In hundreds of colleges and high schools across the country, passionate mental health advocates join together to form Active Minds Chapters. Each chapter is a community, a supportive environment focused on transforming mental health norms on their campus and beyond. Started and led by students like you, Active Minds Chapters are a space to connect with your peers, a national movement, and Active Minds at large.
For many, these chapters are a dedicated space to explore mental health advocacy that they’ve been craving. Joining an Active Minds Chapter allows them to get involved in a nationwide movement simply by attending a meeting, or two, or even more. But what if your school doesn’t have a chapter? Well, that’s where YOU come in. If you and your community work together, your school can be the next to join the Active Minds Chapter Network. Starting a new Active Minds Chapter is an easy process and a great opportunity for you to make a huge impact. You’ll cultivate a sense of belonging while becoming a mental health changemaker in your community.
Not sure where to begin? It might sound like a big undertaking, but starting a chapter is simpler than you think. And we’re here to help! Check out our tips for starting an Active Minds Chapter.
Connect with your peers
It doesn’t matter if you’re already talking about mental health with your friends or not. Simply connecting with friends and classmates is your first move.
Tap into your community to see if you can get your social circle to transform their interest in mental health and wellness into mobilizing with Active Minds. Chat with peers who might already have an interest in prioritizing mental health; maybe they’re taking AP psych or involved in a mental health or community advocacy club.
Even if you’re a graduating senior, you can help lay the groundwork for the next generation of students. Help them find an advisor, recruit other students, and figure out how to register as an official organization. You’ll be leaving your school better than you found it.
Explore what you need with your school
Every college campus is different. Doing a little homework about what your next step should be will allow you to make the most of your efforts. To officially start a club, you’ll have to follow your school’s rules. The best first move is finding out who is in charge of student-led organizations at your school.
Ask them what you might need to get the club going, such as how many members you need or who you should look for in an advisor. They can also tell you if there are other mental health groups on campus. That way, you can figure out if you want to team up with them or how your club can be unique.
Check in with the Active Minds team
You’ve already done the groundwork of getting your peers on board and figuring out what your school needs. Now it’s time to meet Active Minds’ requirements and explore how our team can support your work of mobilizing your community. To start your chapter, Active Minds requires at least three students and one advisor. To help ensure the chapter’s sustainability, at least one of the three student leaders cannot be a graduating senior. Your advisor can be any full-time staff member at your school, such as a teacher, professor, or counselor. Our team recommends finding an advisor with a mental health background, but that is not required. Once you have your team, you’ll complete the Active Minds Chapter Registration Form.
After you’re officially registered, you’ll get access to our national programs and materials, which you can adapt to fit your school’s specific needs. You might want to organize a tabling event to hand out resources, invite a speaker to campus, or host a community engagement event. There are three main ways our chapters change the conversation about mental health at their schools:
- Implement mental health programming
- Participate in partnerships
- Advocacy and mobilization opportunities
What if you need more support?
The Chapters Team is here for you! We work full-time to support chapters (and future chapters) like yours in their mental health advocacy efforts. We can help with anything, from recruiting new members and brainstorming program ideas to ensuring a smooth leadership transition. Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out for guidance, advice, or ideas. Explore our chapter FAQ page or reach us at chapters@activeminds.org.
