Between the silence of Suicide Prevention Week and the month dedicated to mental health awareness lies Hope Week, an initiative dedicated to spreading hope, positivity, and kindness around campus. Each November, small messages and acts of kindness are displayed for students and staff to observe. As the holiday season approaches, Hope Week is dedicated to inviting a comfortable, uplifting environment as an opportunity to promote support, compassion, and awareness.
Social Worker Skylar Gardner organizes Hope Week each year. Gardner envisions Hope Week as a friendly buffer between Suicide Prevention Week in Sept. and Mental Health Awareness month in May. Gardner explained, “Suicide Prevention Week can be triggering or uncomfortable for people to learn about because they’re either not familiar with it or they’re not comfortable with it…” The CUSD district established Hope Week to fill the gap between the two events. Gardner continued, “Hope Week has the same message but in a much more friendly and like oh! It’s Hope Week!… A much more uplifting tone…” The creation of Hope Week was to create a positive atmosphere for the upcoming holiday season.
Gardner elaborated on how Hope Week is meant to impact students on campus. The week itself is not dedicated to teaching students but as more of an, “awareness-based…emphasis on your resources.” According to Gardner. The week serves as a reminder for students to care for themselves, be kind to others, and know which resources they have constant access to. While some classes have programs that teach students about mental health awareness, Gardner views Hope Week as an added layer of protection for students rather than a lesson meant to be pushed into classrooms.
While Hope Week is not intended for classrooms, it still can create an overall message for staff and students around campus. As technology advances and society changes, younger age groups can feel more affected by mental stress due to the large access of the internet.
Gardner expressed, “I think your age group is living in a time that we’ve never experienced before. You have so much access online…immediately to a worldwide plethora of news and grief.” Gardner explored why it is important for people, especially teenagers, to remain present and why being constantly online can deliver news improperly. Gardner voiced, “all you can control is yourself, and if yourself isn’t feeling good, there’s people and resources around you that can help you.”
Hope Week is intended as an extra layer of support. It is meant to remind students that there are always resources available and to shine a little positivity around campus as the holiday season approaches.
