Ways to celebrate Hope Week at School, at Home, and in the Community

Hope Week is a special time to shine a spotlight on mental health. It’s an opportunity to build meaningful connections, normalize help-seeking, and remind others that they are never alone.  

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It’s also a time for Hope Squads (or anyone!) to be intentional about creating moments of care and connection. Whether that happens in the classroom, around the kitchen table, or out in the community, every action can help create a powerful ripple of positivity.  

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Here are some simple, yet meaningful ways anyone can get started:

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In your school

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Share mental health stories

Use announcements, advisory/homeroom time, or classroom discussions to talk about what hope looks like during hard times and where students can turn for support. Perhaps your Squad could make a video featuring staff members sharing how hope helped them through a hard time. Normalizing these conversations can help reduce stigma and encourage students to recognize that everyone goes through hard times–and that help is available.

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Create a positive playlist

Curate a playlist of uplifting songs with your Hope Squad or use the playlist created by the National Council found here! Play it over the speakers during class change or dismissal or host a dance party during lunch.  

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Spread hope through a kindness challenge

Encourage students to perform random acts of kindness throughout the week–holding doors, leaving uplifting notes, or complimenting classmates and staff. Connect each act to the idea of hope: small gestures can brighten someone’s day and remind them they’re not alone. Track and celebrate these actions on a bulletin board or provide Squad and staff with small treats they can distribute when they see someone spreading hope in these ways!  

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In your home

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Have hopeful conversations

Provide families with a simple guide of questions to spark meaningful conversations around hope and resilience. Questions like “What gave you hope this week?” or “Who is someone that inspires hope in you?” can help family members of all ages reflect and connect. Consider providing your school/teachers with these questions to include in a family newsletter or in a social media post.

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Create vision boards

Encourage families to create a vision board that highlights goals, dreams, and uplifting images. By pausing to visualize what you hope to achieve, you not only practice hope, but you also help foster a sense of purpose and motivation. Setting and reflecting upon goals helps boost mental wellbeing and encourages optimism–and doing this as a family helps spark meaningful conversations about the future. When we dream together, hope can grow.  

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Build a family hope jar

Provide guidelines or supplies for families to create a jar where each member adds notes of gratitude, hopeful thoughts, or encouraging messages throughout the week. At the end of Hope Week, read them together. This practice spreads positivity and hope within your family, and strengthens connections–two of Hope Squad’s main objectives.

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In your community

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Network with local mental health organizations

Use Hope Week as an opportunity to reach out to community mental health partners—such as counseling centers, youth programs, or nonprofit organizations. Introduce your Squad, share your goals, and learn about theirs. Together, you can identify opportunities to collaborate on events, awareness campaigns, or resource sharing that benefit more people.

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Build a community hope wall

Collaborate with a library, community center, or local business to display uplifting messages, stories, and artwork about hope. Invite community members of all ages to contribute their own reflections on hope and resilience while highlighting Hope Squad’s mission to build peer support and promote mental health awareness. The interactive display can both spread positivity and serve as a public reminder that hope exists everywhere.

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Connect with other Hope Squads

Reach out to nearby Hope Squads to share ideas, resources, and encouragement. Collaborating with other Squads can amplify your impact, spark new initiatives, and create a stronger network of people committed to spreading hope and supporting mental health in the wider community.  

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Make hope contagious

While Hope Week may only last a few days, the mindset behind it doesn’t have to. Small acts of connection, conversations about mental health, and intentional efforts to spread hope can happen every day–and everywhere.  

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When we take even tiny steps to lift others up, hope multiples, ripples outward, and inspires lasting impact in our schools, our homes, and our wider communities.  

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Looking for more Hope Week Ideas? Check out our Hope Week website!

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