Hope squad
What is Hope Squad?
Hope Squad is a school-based peer-to-peer suicide prevention program that empowers, trains and mentors peer nominated students to perform intentional outreach with fellow students.
Why We Partnered with Hope Squad
After an Elyssa’s Mission board member saw the Nightly News segment, we were asked to research the program. We found that Hope Squad was the perfect complement to our SOS Signs of Suicide Program. While the SOS Program targets entire grade level(s) once or twice a year to teach the warning signs of suicide and depression and how to ACT, Hope Squad is a year-long program that focuses on a small but diverse group of students who continue to look for the warning signs and ACT as well as promote positive mental health awareness. Elyssa’s Mission began their partnership with Hope Squad in fall of 2019 bringing the program to the first schools in Illinois.
Gabriel’s Light founder, Carol Deely, first heard about Hope Squad from a family friend at a school in Hudson, Ohio. Their daughter had an awesome experience as a Hope Squad leader.
In Carol’s words: One of the things we learned after the death of Gabriel, our son, was that he talked about suicide to his peers. He did not with any adults that we are aware. These young seventh graders didn’t take him seriously. They had not been educated on the Signs of Suicide or Hope Squads. This was a missed opportunity to intervene and get help for our son. We now know that over 80% of kids tell a peer of their plans. We looked further into Hope Squads and their mission to train youth leaders and inform students of how to help themself and others. We knew that this was an organization that Gabriel’s Light could underwrite with our partner, Elyssa’s Mission who works directly with schools. It was a win win for both of us.
Partnership Details
We are proud to bring this program to your school free of cost thanks to our partnership with Gabriel’s Light
- Provide Year-Round Support for New and Returning schools (including support during meetings)
- Provide Yearly Curriculum and Support from Hope Squad Staff
- Provide T-shirts for Advisors and Squad Members
- Provide funding for Hope Week
Partnership Requirements
- Must be actively implementing the SOS Program with Elyssa’s Mission
- Maintain Integrity of the Program
- Fill out Hope Squad Surveys
(Student pre- and post-survey, data collection survey, Advisor End of the Year Survey) - Fill out Elyssa’s Mission End of the Year Survey
- Keep School Protocol’s for a Potentially Suicidal Student and Bullying Updated
*If you are interested in partnering with Elyssa’s Mission & Gabriel’s Light please fill out the form below. Emailing [email protected] directly will not include you in a partnership with us.
To express interest in the program, fill out the form below. *This program is limited with only a certain number of available slots each school year.