Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee
Other initiatives
The Center on social media
Problem with this webpage?
Report an accessibility problem.
To report another problem, please contact christopher.jeske@marquette.edu.
Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee
Overview
Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee (SWIM) is a nonprofit organization that supports individuals who have been impacted by generational trauma. SWIM’s mission is to drive community-based collaborations that help to prevent and respond to trauma and create a resilient Milwaukee. Through education, training, and wellness and resilience services, SWIM will equip community members with the tools they need to understand their own trauma, heal, and build resilience.
We are excited to announce that SWIM will be relocating to Concordia 27, a monumental community development on the corner of N. 27th and W. Wells Streets. SWIM hopes to empower our community by offering transformative wellness and healing service that build resilience and uplift community members.
History
The inspiring journey of Scaling Wellness in Milwaukee arose from Mike and Amy Lovell’s long-time interest in and advocacy surrounding youth mental health and resilience. After learning about the ACE study and trauma, the Lovells began answering the call to bring greater awareness to and large-scale action on the issue in Milwaukee. In January 2018, they convened community members and organizations with a connection to trauma in Milwaukee, thus forming SWIM. Based on the community gatherings and conversations, SWIM began to formulate its mission and goals. They brought these ideas to the consultation with NATAL, an Israeli trauma and resilience center established in 1998 that works with people in Israel, besieged by ongoing, unpredictable violence. NATAL has a wing of its organization that consults with cities around the world, including those in the United States, helping them apply resilience-building models. Over the course of NATAL’s 10-day visit to Milwaukee, representatives held 39 meetings across the city with various groups, discussing problems, strengths, and potential solutions for our city. Based on the community meetings and the consultation with NATAL, SWIM developed its programs to provide wellness and resilience services and teach SWIM’s workplace training program that helps organizations build awareness of the role of trauma in the workplace and develop policies and procedures that respond to trauma.
