NAMI North Carolina Affiliate Tool Kit | Organizing a New Affiliate

NAMI thanks Bob Andersen and Bob Best whose presentation to NAMI North Carolina’s 1989 Fall Conference, “Organizing & Strengthening an Affiliate,” provided information for this section.

The first step in organizing a new affiliate involves contacting family members in your area and inviting them to attend an organizational meeting. You can contact prospective affiliate members by—

• Placing ads in local newspapers.
• Asking your county mental health center to mail your prepared letter to their confidential mailing list.
• Contacting local mental health care practitioners and telling them how an affiliate can help their clients or patients and their families.

At your first organizational meeting, let participants know they are not alone and that together, you can make a difference.

• Consider having the first meeting in a founding member’s home.
• Invite a staff member from the state office or a member from an established affiliate to discuss affiliate programs and benefits and answer questions.
• Keep the first meeting relatively unstructured.
• Have people introduce themselves and briefly explain their interest in forming an affiliate.
• Discuss problems meeting attendees have experienced in getting the services they need and brainstorm ways to improve access.
• Circulate a sign-up sheet on which participants note their name, address and telephone number. This list serves as your membership roster. Pass the hat to cover any meeting expenses.
• Before adjourning, appoint volunteers to handle officers’ duties temporarily, until the group can nominate and vote on a slate of officers. Essential tasks include chairing the next few meetings, recording meeting minutes and collecting dues.
• Immediately after the meeting, mail a letter or newsletter to members, welcoming them to the new affiliate and outlining next steps. Enclose a copy of the membership roster.
• As soon as possible, find a suitable permanent meeting location, perhaps at a church or public meeting facility.
• Determine a mutually convenient day of the week and time of day for meetings and stick to them.
• Schedule both a beginning and an ending time for meetings.
• The primary purposes of any NAMI affiliate are to offer support, education and advocacy. At first, however, the members of your new affiliate will face a number of preliminary tasks.
• Develop a slate of officers, making sure the member is willing and able to serve before making the nomination.
• Have your newly elected officers identify a member willing and able to serve as the local telephone contact for your affiliate.
• Arrange for ongoing communication with members by appointing a willing volunteer to mail meeting notices or a simple newsletter as needed.
• Establish a telephone calling plan to enable your affiliate to communicate timely news and information as quickly as possible.
• Members should work together to develop a mission statement for the affiliate to be published in your newsletter and brochures and posted where you meet. Keeping your mission statement highly visible helps members understand the affiliate’s purpose and goals.
• Based on the affiliate’s goals and priorities, the officers should establish committees to take on specific tasks as needed.
• Using the sample bylaws as a guide, your members should develop bylaws for your affiliate.
• Follow the established custom of using “NAMI” followed by your city, county or region when naming your new affiliate.
• Follow the state guidelines in establishing membership categories and setting dues.

With essential tasks completed, your members should reach a consensus on how much time they want to devote to support and how much to education, advocacy and affiliate business. Be sure and plan events for socializing, too. Schedule meetings and plan programs and activities accordingly.

• Foster a sense of ownership in the affiliate by offering all members opportunities for continuing involvement.
• Use the newsletter as a means of recognizing members for their contributions to the affiliate.
• Your affiliate’s initial priority should be supporting members and enabling them to help themselves.
• Support group sessions should offer a safe, understanding and caring environment in which to express feelings.
• Group participants can respond to a member in need or in crisis by sharing their own similar experiences and suggesting possible alternatives.
• Participants should avoid giving direct advice or therapy.
• While support group sessions should help those most in need, all group members should have an opportunity to participate.
• Focus primarily on the affiliate member rather than the family member who is ill.
• Don’t be afraid to use humor when appropriate.
• Be especially sensitive to new members and help them feel comfortable.
• As the support group grows, consider dividing into smaller groups and meeting separately, either in separate rooms or at separate times.
• As soon as possible, arrange for one or more of your members to be trained as a family support group facilitator. The state office staff provides the training for free. By having trained facilitators guide your support meetings, you vastly improve the quality and effectiveness of the support your members receive.

If your affiliate is to flourish, you must retain your charter members and create a steady supply of new members. Your affiliate’s family and community education program is the best source of new members who are prepared to assume leadership roles in your affiliate.

• As soon as possible, have at least two of your members trained to teach a family or community education course, and encourage your charter members to enroll in the first session.

By having members trained to offer both family support and education, your affiliate will greatly improve the quality of its services and its chances for healthy growth and long-lasting success.