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Niven: Why we offer Kids at Hope in Pinal County

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The mission of the Kids at Hope organization, from their website, is “to inspire, empower and transform schools, organizations serving youth and entire communities to create an environment and culture where all children experience success, no exceptions. Kids at Hope’s vision is that every child is afforded the belief, guidance and encouragement that creates a sense of hope and optimism, supported by a course of action needed to experience success at life’s four major destinations: home and family; education and career; community and service; and hobbies and recreation.”

READ:Kids at Hope’ taught to Pinal County staff

Karen Shogren, program coordinator for Pinal County Juvenile Court Services, and I — as trainers for Kids at Hope — have been excited to train our colleagues in Pinal County.

We have traveled to Kingman and completed workshop No. 1, “Unleashing the Power of Hope,” with the Mohave Juvenile Court Services and we are in the process of training everyone in Pinal County Juvenile Court Services including administration, probation, dependency and CASA in the next few months. The detention staff at the Youth Justice Center completed the training in February 2020 and will receive a refresher starting in August. We are also excited for our upcoming training with the preschool staff in the Florence Unified School District later this month.

Our goal is to help organizations and schools create a culture of hope for the youth they work with while connecting them with the Kids at Hope organization to support them along their journey. We want the message to be spread and have more schools and organizations share the vision of Kids at Hope.

Karen and I also facilitate a “statewide” Kids at Hope committee that has just started to take off. where organizations and schools are sharing ideas they are implementing that instill the Kids at Hope philosophy. We have a small committee in Pinal County and many of our probation officers and detention officers are using the Kids at Hope language and instilling practices and beliefs in our youth. We have true treasure hunters in Pinal County, seeking for all of the talents skills and intelligence that exist in all children and youth.

For more information about Kids at Hope or how you can bring a workshop to your school, contact kim@kids@hope.org or call toll-free: 866-275-HOPE. You can also find more information on the Kids at Hope website at kidsathope.org.

Editor’s note: Julie Niven is principal and treasure hunter at the Pinal County Schools’ Youth Justice Center — Hope School.