how to start a hope squad
TRANSCRIPT
HOW TO START A HOPE SQUAD
By Cristy Hill
B.S.- Health EducationM.S.- Professional School Counseling
Rely on HOPE
Help
Organize
Plan
Execute
Help with funding
Members pay for their own shirts ($7-$10)
Parents of members donate a snack for each training
Money from school (vending machine funds? Extra money somewhere?)
Money from district (community council donors? Trustland funds? Safe school funds?)
Donations from community (take fundraising letter to businesses, advertise on social
media)
Fundraiser (rubber duck race, yellow balloon release, video game competition)
Sample funding
Incoming:
School funds $700
Private Donation $500
Orthodontist Donation $300
Other donations: bowling alley, movie theater, Elks Lodge,
Subway, Grocery store, photography
Organize members
Step 1: Hand out a survey to all students
Step 2: Tally votes
Step 3: Ask members to be on the squad (diversity)
Step 4: Ask 1-3 adults to be advisors
Step 5: Assign officer positions
Step 6: Hold a parent meeting to answer questions
Sample organization
President (opens meetings, brings ideas, inspires members)
Vice President (supports prez, brings ideas, inspires members)
Online communications (social media/websites)
Printed communications (posters and printed material)
Fundraiser-er (donation letter to businesses)
Happyness Advisor (birthday treats, stress management)
Stansbury High School’s
President of HOPE Squad
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=32447761
Plan events
Step 1: Have an advisor/officer meeting
Step 2: Plan all events for the year
(once a month? HOPE week)
Step 3: Make a procedure for referrals
(form? How will you keep track?)
Step 4: Discuss how you will contact/communicate with members
(remind101, blog)
Step 5: Make a crisis plan
(what is members role in a crisis)
Step 6: Discuss a plan for members to take care of their own mental health/how to handle bullying
Step 7: Combine with feeder schools to plan a twice a year activity
Sample event calendar
October:
Survey students
Organize squad/parent meeting/plan events
2-hour training
HOPE week
November:
Combined training with feeder school with guest speaker
Lunch time activity (friend-o-grams)
December:
Lunch time activity (“wii are HOPE” gaming competition, hand out suicide hotline cards)
QPR training by district professionals
January:
Training by safe schools coordinator
Lunch time activity (TBD)
Pep Assembly
Sample
communication
Execute
Marketing!
Assemblies, social media, school newspaper,
community newspaper, shirts, badges,
pictures of members by counseling office,
lunch activities, parent teacher conferences
Sample execution of marketing
HOPE week
Questions???
Help
Organize
Plan
Execute
Howtostartahopesquad.blogspot.com