CMHA – Photo Voice

The Canadian Mental Health Association of the South Okanagan Similkameen applied for a grant from the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan to support the unique Photo Voice project.

Photo Voice is “a tool to give voice through photography to individuals who are marginalized”.  Run by the CMHA-SOS, Photo Voice gives people with mental illness a way to express themselves and give voice to the circumstances they live with.  The program’s objective is to reduce prejudice and improve feelings of social responsibility with mental health issues or illnesses.

Participants use digital cameras to capture images that are important to them as representations of supports or barriers within their communities.  Many of these images were displayed at a Photo Voice exhibition held in Osoyoos on May 6, in Penticton on May 7, and in Princeton on May 11, 2010.

In addition, a calendar is created from some of the images to help raise funds for future programs.

The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan was very pleased to help with this project by providing the funds to purchase seven digital cameras.  These cameras will be available for use by Photo Voice participants for years to come.