Movies Can Change the World.
A Year of Film-Based Mental Health Education in Alaska Schools for Free.
It's not just movies. It's a movement!
Why Are We Doing This?
Most importantly, we learn that we can address mental health issues and get help - we are not alone.
Why this Matters and How Alaska is Different
Adolescent mental health continues to worsen.
- 40% of students reported persistently feeling sad or hopeless
- More than 1 in 5 students seriously considered suicide
- 1 in 10 students have attempted suicide (CDC)
- For every suicide, there are an estimated 25 suicide attempts and many more cases of suicide ideation
- Education and prevention saves lives
For more than four decades, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities have suffered disproportionate rates of youth suicide and years of productive life lost compared to other U.S. Races.
- How do we reach students and parents in a meaningful way?
- How do we prepare educators to address mental health in the classroom?
- How do we focus on prevention so there is less triage?
- How do we let our kids know they matter and belong?
We Need Your Help
What is The CCT?
The CCT is a powerful film and evidence-based mental health education program that provides practical tools to educate our educators, youth, and families to safely address mental health in a fresh, new way.
The programs feature real stories shared by adolescents, caregivers, parents, educators, brain scientists, and mental health professionals. It addresses topics such as anxiety, bullying, social media addiction, digital citizenship, resilience, loneliness, mindfulness, belonging, character skill building, and connection.
The CCT: ANGST Edition
The Angst CCT is a film program for all ages designed to raise awareness about anxiety. Angst aims to remove the stigma and open up the conversation about mental health, helping our youth and their families understand that a certain amount of anxiety is healthy and when to recognize when it's too much. Our program includes tips for recognizing symptoms and when to reach out for help. Most importantly, it shows us that we are not alone and that anxiety is 100% treatable.
The CCT: LIKE Edition
LIKE inspires self-regulation and shares how to hack the brain to create balance in our digital world. The LIKE CCT explores the impact of social media on our lives and the effects of technology on the brain and on learning. Understanding that virtual connection is a huge part of our socialization and can have many benefits, how do we use it to best inform, educate, and inspire us to self-regulate, so we can enjoy a more balanced and fulfilled life?
The CCT: RACE to Be Human Edition
RTBH focuses on the importance of respect and trust as shared through the lens of youth, families, mental health experts, employers, and educators. The RTBH CCT addresses character development, kindness, respect, honesty, belonging, and trust. It also shares how we can promote curiosity, self-reflection, integrity, and empathy through positive conversations at home, school, and work. The program includes strategies to inspire self-reflection, connection, and accountability so that, as individuals, we are more aware and, as communities, we can collectively honor family, dignity, and respect to pursue belonging for all ethnicities.
The CCT: The Upstanders Edition
The Upstanders CCT is about kindness, respect, resilience, and the power of connection to end bullying. The Upstanders explores all sides of bullying, from the brain science to how it plays out from subtle scenarios to full-blown bullying. Social media's power means that bullying behavior is now a 24/7 phenomenon, where even changing schools, jobs, and phone numbers, or deleting accounts cannot stop the cycle. Covid has increased the incidence of cyberbullying by 70%. This film program shares safe proven strategies and is rooted in character building. It inspires kindness, honesty, respect, empathy, trust and connection.
What's Inside The CCT?
The Creative Coping Toolkit (CCT) contains 273 assets, 80% of which are film-based. We created it over the past 6 years with the help and guidance of educators, brain scientists, mental health professionals, pediatricians, students, parents, DEIB, HR, and wellness directors from across the US, Australia, and the UK. This program was created by all of us, for all of us.
- Four award-winning film programs initiate understanding and emotional engagement on anxiety, resilience, bullying, respect, social media addiction, character building, and kindness. These programs are designed to promote empathy and provide an immersive experience that can foster positive change.
- 48-chapter learning modules feature our films broken into short clips, accompanied by post-screening guides that include classroom discussion questions and student reflection prompts.
- 24 interactive activities based on cognitive behavioral therapy and the CASEL SEL Core Competences that deepen learning, gamify talking about our feelings and support long-term attitude and habit shift. Plus, a test-your-knowledge quiz for each film to reflect on key takeaways.
- A dedicated Engagement Team is at your service throughout the duration of your program. They will provide year-long support for your community to ensure a seamless implementation and ongoing interaction with our programming. In addition, we offer many support tools and resources for facilitators, whether you're working from home, school, or office.
- Tools and strategies for measuring impact and evolving programming through various routes: survey feedback, community-based training sessions, engagement team communications and check-ins, viewership analytics and reports, and live-screening engagements (Q&A, chat function).
- Updates to our program with new content to ensure relevance in an ever-changing landscape. By adapting our tools to meet shifts in conversation, advancements in science, and emerging experiences, we strive to grow and improve together with your valuable feedback.
What Experts Are Saying
"The Creative Coping Toolkit is chock full of examples, strategies, inspirational quotes, and games that people can play by themselves or with others, and is designed to inspire people to change the way they think, feel, and do. The CCT is an easy and fun way to inspire each other to think more rationally, change feelings, and be happier."
Dr. Jerry Bubrick
Senior Psychologist, Child Mind Institute
Objectives
- Provide free online access for all K-12 Alaska schools and community colleges and higher education to access all 4 film programs and tools in the CCT for 1 year.
- Ensure educators, staff, students, and their families can easily access The Creative Coping Toolkit throughout the school year.
- Coordinate with relevant organizations and stakeholders to maximize the campaign's reach and impact.
- Implement a comprehensive press strategy and marketing plan to promote the mental health campaign.
Timeline - Yes, We Can Do This!
Here is our step-by-step timeline that spells out the deployment of the program, fundraising, press strategy, marketing, promotion, free viewing implementation, evaluation, and follow-up.
Year-Long Access to our Engagement Team
Getting access to The Creative Coping Toolkit is just the first step. Schools also get to tap into our tech, marketing, and engagement teams to brainstorm how the CCT will work best within your school community.
Sponsorship - Join the Movement!
Join the movement and make a difference! Donate now to help us bring all four of The Creative Coping Toolkits to every K-12 school, community college, and higher education in Alaska for 1 year.
Sponsorship participation will be reserved for Alaska Statewide Schools. Donations can be made directly to Impactful Fund 501(c)3. For anyone interested in learning more about how to make the Creative Coping Toolkit available to all schools throughout the year or participate at a higher level, please contact us. Any funds raised above the $125K will be allotted to future year-long licensing and new content to Alaska public schools and underserved communities.
Impactful Fund - 4111 E Madison St. Suite 310, Seattle, WA 98112
EIN: 45-2562072