2021 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund

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This funding opportunity seeks to contribute to addressing the mental health epidemic in Kazakhstan through leveraging the expertise and insight within the USG alumni network. While the project should aim to support its direct target beneficiaries, it should lay the roadmap for scaling the use of effective educational, methodological, and capacity-building approaches to addressing mental health issues among at-risk populations in Kazakhstan beyond its direct participant audiences. Moreover, the project should aim to contribute to breaking the stigma around mental health issues and promote a culture supportive of mental wellbeing and resilience. Project Goal: To increase awareness of mental health issues and promote a healthy and resilient lifestyle, thereby reducing the repercussions of poor mental health on Kazakhstani society. Using American best practices to identify the causes, resiliency techniques, and symptoms of mental health issues is encouraged. Project Audience(s): Possible audiences include, but are not limited to Men, Youth, Parents and General Public, Mental Health Professionals, First Responders, Law Enforcement, Domestic Violence and Trafficking Victims, Civil Society, NGOs. Project Objectives: Project objectives will vary among submitted proposals, but should reflect the Project Goal outlined above and clearly state projected outcomes in terms of the number of beneficiaries, types of deliverables, long-term impact and the timeline. Objectives: Projects may support one or more of the following objectives: Objective 1: Increase in public understanding of mental health issues, capacity to recognize its signs and acquire effective strategies for providing timely help; Objective 2: Increase in public understanding of resources, methods, and tools that promote mental health and resiliency, especially among at-risk audiences; highlighting/utilizing/relying on American best practices to promote mental health. Objective 3: Reduced stigma and harmful myths around mental health and treatment for mental health issues in Kazakhstan.

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