The Attic’s New Ad Campaign

LGBT youth awareness coming to SEPTA

For the first time in its history, The Attic Youth Center will be featured in a new advertising campaign on SEPTA. The new campaign – which will be officially unveiled June 23 – highlights mental health services being offered at the Philly-based LGBT youth center.

“The youth-driven campaign development process was so important because what The Attic is doing is pioneering a new language to discuss mental health services,” explains Carrie Jacobs, The Attic’s executive director. “It is important to understand what a young person thinks and feels when he is talking about words like ‘counselor’ or ‘therapist’ so in that respect, we wanted to be sure the campaign reflected what resonated with them.”

The ads depict images of young people (all stock images to protect the privacy of those at the center) with excerpts about mental health issues that hope to dispel any stigmas about treatment. A few of the ads will also emphasize The Attic’s role as a safe space for young people who may be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning, as well as the support services aimed at building resiliency, self-confidence and leadership skills. Many young people who are coming out, says Jacobs, can suffer from depression and anxiety – two very treatable conditions.

To kick off the campaign, two unique posters will be featured on the Market-Frankford and the Broad Street lines, as well as several bus routes throughout the region thanks, in part, to a grant from Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services. Posters and postcards will also be distributed by hundreds of local agencies that serve young people in the community, such as schools, community centers and social services organizations.

The center is hosting a special event to unveil the new campaign on June 23 (5 p.m.) at the center (255 S. 16th St.).