SpeakOut
Encyclopedia
SpeakOut is a web site where people with issues such as depression
and low self-esteem
can speak in the comfort of anonymity with people sharing similar problems, as well as trained psychological and psychiatrical professionals. It also works to bring people sharing similar issues and/or a desire to assist, together in an effort to create a welcoming, dependable community. The main sections of the site are the forum
, the "one2one" help, and original guides. Its has also expanded its sections to facilitate a more open, inviting, and community feel; games, art galleries, poetry corners, and journals are among the sections opened for members to participate in.
Care for Life, a Brisbane based charity made up of representatives from government and non government community organisations and community members which provides resources for young people, and information to organisations and community members.
Youth Action Network
and Stream, United Kingdom
based organisations which run in similar fashion to Care for Life. YAN were instrumental in the preparation of the UK's Children Act 2004 - "Every Child Matters" whilst also providing one-to-one "eMentoring" for participating members.
In 2006, SpeakOut sponsored a number of events organized to raise awareness of youth issues such as depression
, mental illness
and child abuse
. These included concerts and craft/cookery participation events.
In March 2007 SpeakOut administrator Katie Mann will be organising a SpeakOut sponsored skydive in London
, in aid of various youth charities including Youth Action Network.
was recognised by British Prime Minister Tony Blair
for exceptional work in the voluntary sector. Johnson met the minister and other guests at 10 Downing Street
, Whitehall
, London
on December 12, 2006. "CJ" works with many voluntary services, from his base in the North East of England
.
Also in 2006, Speakout administrator Courtenay Cameron received a Gold Coast Youth Achievement award for her contribution to SpeakOut and National Youth Week in Gold Coast
, Queensland
, Australia
. Courtenay has contributed by organising events and concerts sponsored by SpeakOut, raising awareness of the issues faced by young people today and creating websites for Non Profit Organisations.
SpeakOut's current redevelopment is being certified as XHTML1.1
'Strict' compliant by W3
, providing the best possible accessibility for disabled or disadvantaged clients.
brokenangel:
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and low self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
can speak in the comfort of anonymity with people sharing similar problems, as well as trained psychological and psychiatrical professionals. It also works to bring people sharing similar issues and/or a desire to assist, together in an effort to create a welcoming, dependable community. The main sections of the site are the forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
, the "one2one" help, and original guides. Its has also expanded its sections to facilitate a more open, inviting, and community feel; games, art galleries, poetry corners, and journals are among the sections opened for members to participate in.
Ethos
While classified as a help and advice centre, SpeakOut's main message is that the client must take the initial step and open up to its Official Helpers. Focus is also placed on the client's interaction with other clients - in effect, creating a flexible support group of like-minded people with similar experiences.Non-profit Status
SpeakOut is currently pursuing recognition as a non-profit community organization. It is also hoped to build bonds with other non-profit and state-sponsored bodies in America, Europe and Australia. Partnerships include:Care for Life, a Brisbane based charity made up of representatives from government and non government community organisations and community members which provides resources for young people, and information to organisations and community members.
Youth Action Network
Youth Action Network
The Youth Action Network is a UK-wide youth organisation that promotes volunteering by young people in their communities....
and Stream, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
based organisations which run in similar fashion to Care for Life. YAN were instrumental in the preparation of the UK's Children Act 2004 - "Every Child Matters" whilst also providing one-to-one "eMentoring" for participating members.
SpeakOut Events
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
and child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
. These included concerts and craft/cookery participation events.
In March 2007 SpeakOut administrator Katie Mann will be organising a SpeakOut sponsored skydive in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in aid of various youth charities including Youth Action Network.
Recognition
In 2006, SpeakOut administrator Chris JohnsonChris Johnson
-Sports:* Chris Johnson , Australian rules footballer with Brisbane* Chris Johnson , Australian rules footballer with Melbourne and Carlton* Chris Johnson , Jamaican...
was recognised by British Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
for exceptional work in the voluntary sector. Johnson met the minister and other guests at 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
, Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on December 12, 2006. "CJ" works with many voluntary services, from his base in the North East of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Also in 2006, Speakout administrator Courtenay Cameron received a Gold Coast Youth Achievement award for her contribution to SpeakOut and National Youth Week in Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Courtenay has contributed by organising events and concerts sponsored by SpeakOut, raising awareness of the issues faced by young people today and creating websites for Non Profit Organisations.
SpeakOut's current redevelopment is being certified as XHTML1.1
XHTML
XHTML is a family of XML markup languages that mirror or extend versions of the widely-used Hypertext Markup Language , the language in which web pages are written....
'Strict' compliant by W3
W3
W3 or W-3 may refer to:* W3, a postcode district in the W postcode area* PZL W-3 Sokół, a Polish helicopter* The Amazing 3, a manga and anime series, known in Japan as Wonder 3...
, providing the best possible accessibility for disabled or disadvantaged clients.
Client Feedback
SpeakOut prides itself in the feedback received about it close relationships with clients. They are displayed on the initial page of the website.brokenangel:
"Everything just started to get better ... I could deal with everything better. I haven't self harmed since December 6th 2005. I haven't felt unworthy or disgusting or anything like that for about a year and I'm showing no signs of going back. I'm getting stronger everyday. The reason for me saying all of this is because I don't think I would've been able to do it without the support I got from everybody here."