COLUMBUS, Ind. — Ivy Tech Community College has received a $10,350 grant from Heritage Fund-The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County for its peer-to-peer Hope Squad program, which teaches students how to intervene in and prevent suicide attempts.
“Hope Squad” is a class that trains students how to provide outreach to others in distress. Squad members will work with counseling staff and mentor advisers to evaluate situations and facilitate appropriate actions. They will also receive coaching on how to recognize risk factors and then respond.
Therese Copeland, executive director of resource development says, “We want to educate and empower our students to help their peers find the guidance and strength they need to navigate through their challenges.”
The Hope Squad program is taught as curriculum so students learn the fundamentals of peer support, a deeper understanding of mental health and suicide, and how to become more active in teaching and training peers and reaching out to the community.
