Being hopeful involves maintaining a positive and confident outlook, and believing that things will ultimately improve. Young people are often known for their optimism as they persist through challenges rather than giving up easily. Research shows that hope acts as a protective factor that enhances resilience. The All About Being Hopeful character development handout has been created to instill hope in clients and guide them from negative thinking to a positive, hopeful mindset. It outlines the importance of hope, and defines what hopelessness looks like. The bottom of the handout features a chart that differentiates between hopefulness and hopelessness in their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Using this handout helps kids and teens learn to see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles. To remind themselves daily to stay positive, they can print out this resource and post it in their rooms. Caring adults can help brainstorm ways to spread hope with others, and suggest creative activities at home or in the classroom. This handout pairs nicely with our Hope Worksheets, which provide activities to enhance the learning experience. *This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed. Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of character education worksheets. References: Bowers, R. M., & Bowers, E. P. (2023). A literature review on the role of hope in promoting positive youth development across Non-WEIRD contexts. Children, 10(2), 346. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10020346 Edwards, L. M., & McClintock, J. B. (2013). Promoting hope among youth: Theory, research, and practice. In C. Proctor & P. A. Linley (Eds.), Research, applications, and interventions for children and adolescents: A positive psychology perspective (pp. 43–55). Springer Science + Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6398-2_4 Kashiwabara, T., Fujiwara, T., Doi, S., & Yamaoka, Y. (2022). Association between hope for the future and academic performance in adolescents: Results from the K-CHILD study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 11890. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911890 Marques, S. C., & Lope, S. J. (2014). The Promotion of Hope in Children and Youth. In M. J. Furlong & R. Gilman (Eds.), Increasing Psychological Well-being in Clinical and Educational Settings (pp. 187-197). DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-8669-0_12.
