ABOUT
srsly
MISSION
Connecting as a community to support youth mental health and prevent youth substance use through action, education, and advocacy.
THE COALITION.
To learn more about joining srsly, upcoming events, or training opportunities:
Follow us @srslychelsea
srsly Chelsea needs high school students with a passion for mental health and a desire to make their voices heard, to become a part of your community in a big way.
As a coalition, srsly partners with local community organizations, clubs, and businesses to advocate for youth mental health and raise awareness about the prevalence of youth substance abuse and the resources that are available. The coalition wants to hear youth-inspired ideas and provide the space for them to be achieved.
Even better, we want youth to take the lead.
What exactly does this opportunity look like, you ask?
Students are invited to join any of the five teams: Creative (branding, marketing, communications), Awareness (advocacy, spreading awareness, social campaigns), Program (events, trainings, programming), Sustainability (fundraising, staffing, evaluations), or Community (volunteer recruitment, connecting with donors, networking), and get to work on making a difference in the community.
HISTORY OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
Suzi and Michael Coghlan
srsly was founded in 2008 by a group of community leaders and concerned citizens. The Chelsea community was struggling with youth substance abuse, despite having introduced a number of programs and interventions. School-based programs were already teaching students about the negative consequences of substance abuse, so srsly was developed as a positive complement to the school programs. As a community coalition, srsly could implement community-wide strategies so that parents and other adults could help address the problem.
...something new and different that could create positive, community-wide change.
The Coghlan Family Foundation recognized the need for something new and different that could create positive, community-wide change. With leaders from St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea and the Chelsea School District, the Coghlans put forth a vision for a community-based prevention initiative and the necessary resources to support such an initiative. The combined energy of the foundation, hospital, and schools inspired leaders from other key community sectors to get involved.
PARTNERS.
Community organizing is a lot of work, so we need a lot of help! Our team members come from a few (ok, more than just a few) places. We're excited to say we have organizational representatives from: St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, NAMI of Washtenaw County, MSU Extention, Chelsea School District, Peer-To-Peer, Kiwanis Club of Chelsea, Chelsea First United Methodist Church, 4H-Washtenaw, Washtenaw County Community Mental Health, Main Street Church, Chelsea Lumber, Chelsea State Bank, MSU Changemakers, plus a bunch of community members!