Empowerment Group Meeting

A big shout out to all the fabulous volunteers who came to last night's brainstorming session on how to better support Samoshel.  It was great to see some of the more seasoned facilitators as well as some newer faces there.

Thank you so much for your time and energy.  Your ideas are very helpful and much appreciated.

Article of Interest

Homeless find hope in working on TV show
By Chris Welch, CNN, October 6, 2009

"The most rewarding part," Dennis says, "[is] the idea that we're changing the image of the stereotypical homeless person."  "Because of our efforts on the air ... people think about what it means -- who's homeless, what it means to be homeless, what it means to call someone homeless -- differently."

New Facilitators for the Empowerment Group

Bev, founding co-chair of the Empowerment Group, hosted a dinner event last week for 10 trainers who volunteer to conduct Empowerment Workshops for the residents at SAMOSHEL. We welcome new workshop facilitators: John, Melanie, Mindy and Mario! All four are experienced professionals in organizational development/ coaching/ training who want to give back to the community. From as far south as Hermosa Beach and as far north as Ventura, they come to SAMOSHEL to explore empowerment related issues with residents.

And thanks to all the facilitators, who make this project such a success!

Fight Stigma!

NAMI provides tips about ways, at the local level, to fight the stigma that surrounds those with mental illnesses. See their Local Level Stigmabuster Fyler for more information.

Street Soccer USA Cup

Homeless people from across the country competed this weekend in the Street Soccer USA Cup, with a team from San Francisco taking the title by a score of 6 to 3 against Minneapolis. Street Soccer USA is a 16-city league and conducts soccer programs at social service agencies and homeless shelters across the country.

The tournament this past weekend also acted as trials for the U.S. team that will compete in the 48 country Homeless World Cup, which is scheduled to kick off on Sept. 6 in Milan, Italy. The top eight players in the U.S. tournament will represent the United States.

Empowerment Principles

At Samoshel, individuals who are homeless participate in what's known as "Empowerment Workshops." Volunteers and shelter residents meet in groups to empower one another to believe:

1. I have a more effective way to communicate with myself and others.
2. I am a deserving human being. I have a right to ask for and expect something in life.
3. I respect myself and others.
4. I have the power to choose.
5. I have more strengths and abilities than I imagined.

Workshop topics have included perspectives, resilience, communication, and goal setting, among others.