The purpose of the Connect Campaign is to use positive social norming to break down codes of silence and secrecy, while increasing the acceptability of seeking help for one’s self and for others, especially in the area of Mental Health. This is accomplished by creating space and opportunities for students and staff to share stories of times they either got connected during a difficult time in their lives, or connected someone else they saw struggling. As in all Sources of Strength campaigns, the goal is to create opportunities for the general population to engage, interact, and apply the principles underlying this campaign to their own lives and personal contexts. By creating space to tell personal stories of connection, the Connect Campaign contextualizes and normalizes help-seeking and the importance of getting connected to Mental Health during difficult times.

Goals:
• Increase and normalize help-seeking behaviors.
• Decrease secrecy requests and codes of silence.
• Increase norms and knowledge around seeking Mental Health help through sharing our stories.
• Normalize the idea that asking for help is a sign of Strength, not a sign of weakness, and that getting help for a friend is being a good friend.
• Increase awareness of what resources and pathways are available for seeking help for oneself or a friend in the school or community.