Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) is a new way of seeing and talking about experiences that support children’s growth and development into healthy, resilient adults.
Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) allow children to form strong relationships and meaningful connections, cultivate positive self-image and self-worth, experience a sense of belonging, and build skills to cope with stress in healthy ways.
HOPE was born out of emerging research that created a new understanding of how PCEs drive healthy development and mitigate the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Learn more about ACEs.
HOPE aims to inspire a movement that fundamentally transforms how health and well-being is advanced for children, families, and communities.
The Building Blocks of Positive Childhood Experiences
PCEs can help protect against the poor health outcomes associated with ACEs, and these PCEs can be categorized into four Building Blocks.
Relationships within the family and with other childhood and adults.
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- Being in nurturing, supportive relationships are critical for children to develop into healthy, resilient adults.
Safe, equitable, stable environments for living, playing, learning at home and in school.
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- Children who live, learn, and play in safe, stable, and equitable environments are less likely to experience poor mental and physical health as adults.
Social and civic engagement to develop a sense of belonging and connectedness.
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- Involvement in social institutions and environments, awareness of cultural customs and traditions, and a cultivated sense of belonging helps children develop into secure and resilient adults.
Emotional growth through playing and interacting with peers for self-awareness and self-regulation.
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- Children need to have ample opportunity to develop their sense of self-awareness and social cognition, learn how to self-regulate emotions and behaviors, and acquire skills needed to respond functionally and productively to challenges.
Becoming HOPE-Informed
Anyone can become HOPE-Informed by taking the HOPE training.
Professionals can transform their work by actively promoting positive experiences that drive health and well-being for children, families, and communities. HOPE begins with a shift in mindset that calls on each of us to identify, celebrate, and promote individual and family strengths in each moment.
Parents, Caregivers, and Community Members can learn how to ensure that the children in their lives have more positive experiences. By incorporating the Four Building Blocks into children’s lives, they can promote resiliency, healthy development, and buffer against ACEs.
The HOPE training presents background information on the health effects of adverse childhood experiences and the research showing how key positive childhood experiences prevent and mitigate the effects of ACEs and toxic stress resulting in improved health outcomes.
Register for the training today!
To register for this training, please contact Missy Berglund at mberglund@illuminatecolorado.org.
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