What is Ready to Hope?
Ready to Hope was founded when two moms (Christine and Cori) got together and were talking- for about the thousandth time- about how hard it can be to be a young adult these days. When we realized that we’d both always wanted to do something about that fact by creating something that would support teens, Ready to Hope was born!
Ready to Hope can be best described as an interpersonal immersive experience designed to give young adults a chance to connect with a non-judgmental, supportive community, to discuss what is on their hearts and minds, and gain tools to handle the stresses that life throws their way.
What takes place during a workshop?
First: you can attend once, ongoing, or just whenever you feel like it! Each workshop is a standalone experience, but often young adults want to keep on attending because they enjoy the resources and tools they gain, as well as the connections they make!
We have designed the workshop very deliberately, with the goal being a combination of discussions and activities, ideally scattered with a good bit of laughter. After setting some group expectations and discussing confidentiality, we will spend some time on icebreakers and creating a safe space. The bulk of the time together will be alternating discussion and activities, and the activities have been chosen to help not only support the discussion and learning but to also give teens tools and resources they can take away with them after the workshop. And last but certainly not least: they will gain friendships (or dive deeper on current friendships) and a support network that they will know they can turn to after they complete the workshop and when life gets hard, as it inevitably does.
Many workshops will be theme-based as well- watch for those on the registration page to see if they sound particularly interesting or helpful, and hop on in!
Prior to each workshop, we will send out a pre-workshop survey. This will give each participant a chance to share if they have something very specific they would like to discuss, and if so, would they like us to bring up the topic so they can remain anonymous but still get to discuss what is on their heart, or if they would like to tell their story.
And if no one has anything pressing they bring to the workshop, we still have plenty to discuss! We have what we have affectionately named “The Six Buckets,” or six broad categories that we know can challenge all of us and lead to stress, anxiety, and overwhelm at times.
Those buckets include but aren’t limited to body image and self-care, stress and anxiety, relationships, and faith. If no participants come with any topic they’d like to discuss, we will pull from a bucket and begin a discussion!
During every workshop participants will be given a chance to try on tools and resources for mental health such as guided journaling, meditation, and movement. The goal is that they can see how they feel after trying out these tools, and will be able to then draw on the ones they find helpful in their daily lives.
Who are the facilitators?
Cori is a mom who founded Ready to Hope with her dear friend Christine, two moms with a big passion for (and years of experience working with) teens. We are moms ourselves, between us raising five young adults. Find out more about Cori here.
Is this offered for boys as well as girls?
Yes, absolutely! The content of the workshop is by no means gender specific, we recognize that the stresses felt by teens span all ages and gender identities. However, each individual workshop will be designed for one gender at a time.
How can I support the work you are doing?
First: thank you! We appreciate so much your interest in this work! The two ways you can support our work are to
- Help us spread the word! Tell everyone! And if you have any people or organizations you think we should connect with or partner with, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
- Make a tax deductible donation. Donations go towards rental space, materials for workshops, and scholarships. You can donate any amount of your choosing by clicking here!
Additional questions? Please comment below or reach out to us here! We hope to see you or your teen at a workshop in the near future!