Resilient Teens, the youth-focused, Augusta-based initiative of the nonprofit Resilient Georgia, is hosting a weekend conference to inspire teenagers to embrace positive changes in their lives
HOPE Givers—referring to “Humanity, Opportunity, Prevention and Equity”—is an educational film program, developed by film producer Tamlin Hall, comprised of a series of videos about young people’s mental health.
Hope Givers Live is a program of live events centered around this content, featuring testimonials, presentations, live music, a Q&A session and several other interactive elements designed to educate and encourage resiliency and healthy strategies to cope with adversity.
“They are able to deliver this inspiring and uplift lifting message about being able to talk about challenges and struggles, and facing those things and bouncing back from those things in a creative and engaging way,” said Rebecca Best, executive director of Resilient Communities of East Georgia, the regional chapter of Resilient Georgia.
Resilient Teens, which has been active in Augusta for nearly five years, is launching its incorporation of the program into its curriculum by coordinating a HOPE Givers Live event this coming Saturday.
The series, and the event, are geared toward sixth through 12th graders, though younger children are welcome and adults—such as parents, educators, counselors and mental health professionals—are encouraged to attend and an engage in the ensuing conversations.
Best underscores that as topics like coping strategies for mental health affects adults, as well as kids, and though adults, hopefully, have cultivated strong coping skills already, there is always more to learn.
“It’s just phenomenal what you learn listening to these messages,” she said. “Seeing what these kids face today with bullying and social media and suicidal ideation and things like that, and so as an adult, it’s an education process for me too, because I can be the one adult to change the trajectory of a child’s life if I’m put into that position.”
HOPE Givers’ website boasts promising statistics: that 95% of students who underwent the video-based curriculum learned a new coping and self-care strategy, for example, or that more than 90% learned mental health language they believe will prove useful, 91% could identify a trusted adult at their school or that 88% can identify a mental health resource outside of their school.
“A parent, interested community member… somebody who works with youth or in mental health, you will leave inspired and uplifted, for sure,” said Best, noting some 100 people have registered so far, in a venue with a capacity for 400. “And I can’t think of a better way to kick off the new year than that.”
HOPE Givers Live, hosted by Resilient Teens, will be at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 1833 Broad St. in Augusta, on Saturday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Registration begins at 9 a.m., but online registration is available at https://bit.ly/41XikR6.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
