SMD Self-Help Clearinghouse

Self-help is rooted in the idea that people who share a disability or chronic condition have something to offer each other that cannot be provided by professionals.

 

Self-help groups are small, autonomous and open groups that meet regularly to allow members to share experiences, resources and coping mechanisms and – on occasion – come together for social change.

 

Most often, the main purposes of self-help groups are to:  

  • Facilitate information sharing
  • Promote awareness about the disability or chronic condition
  • Encourage members to form a positive identity
  • Create a sense of community
  • Aid in personal growth and transformation
  • Provide social support
  • Help in the areas of advocacy and collective empowerment.

The SMD Self-Help Clearinghouse supports a network of Manitoba self-help organizations.

 

Learn more about the SMD Self-Help Clearinghouse: