Community Mental Health Program
Our Community Mental Health Program is designed to improve the health and wellbeing of Digital Rights and Internet Freedom (IF) communities and networks around the world.
It is comprised of a Community Health Report, which provides a deeper insight into the psychosocial challenges IF networks are having in regards to community engagement, talent retention, growth, and mental health; Psychosocial Services and Tools, based on the finding of the report, that range from self-care group sessions, to psycho-educational presentations on mental health, to consultation to internal teams at diverse organizations.
Goals of the Program
Provides digital rights defenders with both analysis and tools for their current situation, allowing them to better identify when they may need interventions or seek help, and how to improve both their individual and collective health.
Educate organizational leaders and decision makers on mental health and wellbeing, so they can better serve their employees and/or communities.
Help Tool Creators and Civil Society Organizations better understand the experiences of digital rights defenders on the frontline and strategize on how to serve them accordingly.
Encourage funders, particularly those working in Internet Freedom, to fund more psychosocial care in the Internet Freedom / Digital Rights space.
The Community Health Report
In 2021 we published our first ever Community Health Report, which provides a snapshot of the wellbeing of IF networks around the world. It is the first report of its kind in the Internet Freedom and digital rights community.
Through a community lens, the report provides a deeper insight into the psychosocial challenges IF networks are having in regards to community engagement, talent retention, growth, and mental health. The report is a culmination of in-depth qualitative and quantitative research conducted through one-to-one interviews, surveys, and other fact-gathering methods including psychosocial workshops.
Psychosocial Services & Tools
Based on the findings of the report, we will be design services and tools centered on enhancing and increasing psychosocial care in the digital rights and IF community. This includes self-care group sessions, psycho-educational presentations on mental health and self-care, creative art sessions, one-on-one check-ins with community members, creating and sharing resources and tools for community members, with special focus on the needs of the most vulnerable groups.
In addition, we host semi-private focus group discussions and private-internal team meetings with diverse organizations, grassroots networks and tools to share findings of the Community Health Report, answer questions they may have, and ultimately get feedback on how to go forward. Overall, we feel these private and semi-private workshops will help community leaders and decision makers make better decisions and improve health and wellbeing for their employees and the communities they serve.
Our Community Mental Health Program Head
Selma Zaki is the first person overseeing our Community Mental Health Program.
Selma Zaki, Community Health Researcher for Team Community
Selma is a Mental Health Counselor based in New York City. She has experience in providing therapy services between practice practices and community mental health centers across New York City. Historically, Selma has been interested and committed in understanding and addressing mental health needs both individually and collectively.
In addition to providing therapy services, Selma has experience in conducting qualitative research and has been published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology for studying the experiences of gender amongst Arab American Women. Selma was also involved in community organization in Lebanon and founded an organization named “Lezem” that evolved out of a desire to address the unmet needs of the Lebanese community.
Selma’s goals as a mental health professional, an academic and a social justice advocate is to initiate change on an individual and a collective level. What brings her clinical, research and community development experience together is the firm belief that healing, growth and advancement begin in spaces that foster open communication and encourage in-depth understanding.
Many thanks to the following organizations for supporting our work
