Hope Squad is something I’ve recently been introduced to and feel needs to be shared with you! So what is Hope Squad and how can you benefit from it and get involved? This is everything I want to talk about so you can help change the community perception of mental health by creating awareness about suicide and the tools available to prevent suicide.
First Hope Squad is a school based peer to peer suicide prevention program. It all started in the Provo City School District and has grown from there. They are now in different states nation wide and hope to be in all schools as soon as possible. Hope Squad members are taught and educated on recognizing suicide warning signs and how to properly and respectfully report concerns to adults. They are not taught to act as counselors. Each members goes through training usually held after school hours where they have lessons and learn about different signs to watch for but also different ways to get everyone involved.
The Hope Squad members are trained to reach out and assist fellow students who may be struggling with depression, suicide concerns or even bullying. In a world where our children have so many pressures this can make a hug difference in the schools nationwide. They’re working to break the code of silence.
So how can you get involved? Reach out to your school administration. Usually they’ll get the school counselors to help serve as the Hope Squad advisor but additional support can come from teachers, parents, social workers and more. Get involved and bring Hope to your school. To find out more information, checkout their site and contact them to get a Hope Squad started at your school.
