Personal and community connections give you support and help you grow.
General Information
As you have grown up, there have been people in your life who have helped and loved you along the way. They may have been a family member, friend, caseworker, a teacher, classmate, or a co-worker. These connections have been important to your well-being and success and they will continue to be important as you navigate through your adult life. This page includes ideas about people, places and things that will help you continue to build and maintain positive personal and community connections.
Building Supportive Connections
Whether it is with a friend, roommate, partner, or family member, it is important to build and maintain supportive relationships. Connections impact a person’s mental, emotional and physical health; they are built around open communication and mutual support. They help you to feel secure, happy, loved, respected and free to be yourself.
Creating a Professional Network
It is important to maintain connections with supportive former employers, teachers or agency staff members for professional reasons. Remaining connected will allow you to build a network of support that you may rely on for career or school advancement. The people in your network are especially important when you need people to write letters of recommendation on your behalf for jobs, school or housing. You can share cell phone numbers, email addresses and/or social media sites as tools to keep in touch.
Finding a Place of Faith
Places of faith such as a: church, synagogue, mosque, temple or other spiritual space, can offer you a place where you feel comfortable, welcomed and accepted. Places of faith often have social gatherings and other ways to connect to your community. Check a local newspaper or ask around your community about faith-based organizations.
Support Groups
There are many types of support groups, including those for: mental health, therapy, family, bereavement, and addiction. Support groups help you meet people, give you a place to share your story and listen to others, and let you know that you are not alone.
Establishing Local Resources
When living on your own for the first time, it is important for you to find local resources such as: the grocery store, pharmacy, post office, library, town hall, and police and fire departments. Information on voting, paying taxes, and registering a vehicle can be found at your town office or city hall; you can either visit them in person or access their information online.
Resources
To find out more about health and human services and support groups near you visit www.211maine.org. 211 Maine can also be accessed by dialing 211 on your phone, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.