Welcome!
Our sister veterans need our support.
The Peer Support Advocate provides consistent social support, case management, and advocacy services for women veterans in Hope4veterans program and accessing, transitional services and case management services. The Peer Support Advocate helps women veteran sisters navigate systems and obtain the services that are necessary for stability and wellness. Peer2Peer sisters identify as a consumer and utilize personal life experience when working with clients. Hope4Veterans mission emphasizes supportive, non-judgmental care, preventive care, health education and community referrals to address the broad spectrum of health and psycho-social concerns of our women veterans served and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are we looking for?
Women Veterans that have the passion and desire to give back to her sisters that have challenges in her life. Hope4veterans will provide the tools/guidance and the skills to assist women safely and productively as mentors.
Why did we start the sister (Peer2Peer) Mentorship Program?
Hope4veterans after 1.5 years of research and mentoring Women Veterans found that there were many challenges between the mentor and mentored so Hope4veterans created a sister mentorship/ peer2Peer program to guide our sisters safely and productive with in the community for benefits and resources needed. Many other challenges were struggles with personality, boundaries, and understanding how help guide the women veteran that struggled back into self-sufficiency and building and developing the skills and tools to find her voice. Hope4veteran goals was to prevent Isolation, suicide, and homelessness and this one of our first steps to these goals. Besides providing the skills to help guide our sisters we want to honor, recognize, and empower both the Mentor and Mentored.
What’s the Process for Sister (Peer2peer) Mentorship Program?
• Being able to dedicate 4 hrs. a week for 6 weeks for online or in person training (could be additional classes online after 6 weeks) facilitators will give more instructions
• Apply on Online- Fill out Application
• Attach verification of military status (DD214/ID)
• Fill out the Questionnaire online
• 5-7 days H4V team will contact you for in person or zoom interview
• Team will give you a set date and time to attend Online or in person 6 week training
What will you take away from Sister (Peer2Peer) Mentorship Program?
- Opportunity to grow within your self
- Learn more about strengths, challenges, and types of personalities
- Fun art and variety activities
- Camaraderie with other Women Veterans
- Learn a skills and tools to help sisters overcome challenges
- Opportunity to grow, and find your passion within Hope4veterans community by helping sisters
What are future goals for Sister (Peer2Peer) Mentorship Program?
• Women that have overcome their challenges to find their passion and able to “ Give Back” to help her sisters
• Additional online classes (military sexual trauma, suicide, Claim process training)
• In person/ online support meetings expand to other areas
• Art Projects
• Community projects collaboration with other organizations
• Women Veteran/ Spouses Meet and Greets
• Military Family events
• Create a safe environment to allow women veteran/ women spouses to tell her stories and also guide them to obtain the benefits they deserve.
Why H4V started Nonprofit & P2P Therapeutic Art Program ?
Statistics
Hope4Veterans realized that there was a challenge with our Women Veterans when she attended 2 Women Veteran conferences and National Organizations in Florida. She visually noticed that Women Veterans were not showing up to these events and not connecting to one another. Hope4veterans realizes that there are many challenges that Women Veterans face and Women Spouses. Hope4Veterans addresses finding ways to bringing Women Veterans and Women Spouses out to events to connect to one another. In the last 2 years Hope4veterans through survey statistics on H4V website shows that women are interest in art and events that provide self-care, and personal goals for the women. Women Veterans that attend fun events and continue to stay connected show improvement in health and self-confidence and reduces risk of suicide and homelessness.
Statistics from (The Mission Continues, VA and Disabled Veteran American DAV) showing that a missing link is Peer2Peer which is needed to connect VA Medical and Community Benefits to Veterans.
Peer2Peer sister project showed more women showing up when it involved Art, and women connections. Hope4veterans had events in Tampa and Jacksonville/ St Augustine Florida area for Peer2Peer/ Art and every event we had averaged 25-40 women attended. From these events some of the women reached out for help or reached out to Give back to Hope4veterans programs.
Besides the Isolation H4V has recognized while working one on one with our Women veterans that struggle in the community that there were more encounters with boundary, safety, and trust concerns, this is how Peer2Peer Sister Program developed.
In our Program we provide the opportunity to take time for self-care, look internally and discover your personality and what it means. We included looking at boundaries, trust, role playing for P2P positions and improve communication skills. Our Pilot Program invited 12 veterans to attend our 6-week class to give us feedback and what they liked about the program. We received testimony from veterans telling us about improvement within their daily lives. Hope4veterans did 2 Pilot Program one session with 7 Women veterans which 6 are still active with H4V, one struggling. 2nd session was trial with 4-week class with 5 male veterans which worked for our partner male veteran organization, and they utilize male veterans to become Mentors within their program.
Hope4veterans goal is to expand the P2P Therapeutic Art Program for Military women throughout State of Florida. Our Focus has been Northeast Florida in 7 Counties St John, Putnam, Clay, Duval, Baker, Flagler, Nassau and Volusia counties.
Hope4veterans for Pilot Programs utilized our program through Zoom but after 6 weeks we continued connecting to Military women by social events and community projects. We had utilized Steven A Cohen Centerstone Counseling for January thru April classes in Northeast Florida and expanding in August 2023 through November in St John, Clay and Duval County.
For our Program H4V wanted to allow women to enjoy small events, connect to others with similar interests and build a bigger support connection long term. Many programs that the founder of H4V has been part of, offers 6–8-week programs but don’t have social events and continuous connections to prevent isolation and suicide. When a Military Women have sister support and resources this has shown to reduce isolation and suicide. Florida Statistics show that they are 3rd highest veteran nationally but since COVID 19 last year Florida residents tripled, and housing became very difficult economy wise. With this being said our Military Women will need a strong support system and that’s what H4V working to provide.
P2P Therapeutic Art Therapy for Military Women
Purpose: Art Therapy to build a special connection between our military sisters. Bring a small group military woman together to prevent isolation and suicide but also to feel safe, comfortable, and fun to start sharing any struggles they may need help with. Connecting them to resources that that are needed such as counseling, claims and financial. Women struggle seeking help but when you bring fun social activities women tend come together and talk with one another. Honoring, empowering and recognizing military women.
Who we serve: Military Women Veterans and Women Spouses- and 1-2 classes Military Children invited to classes with parents. For Financial purpose when we support the Military spouses and Women Veterans it supports the whole family. All military women are encouraged but the class is based off finding the unconscious and be ready to explore unhidden feelings and emotions through Art and connections.
Time Frame: Art therapy class would be 1-3hrs depending on intensity and struggles within the group. Allowing 1-1.5 hours to allow our military Women to explore their unconscious and struggles thru art. 1.5 hours to reconnect after the project in a small group to talk about their projects. It will vary depending on where the military women are and what stages of recovery, they are at, but we will meet them at where they are at.
Materials: Military Women can use any of the tools to create their masterpiece. Tools may include paint, canvas, scissors, magazine clippings, pastel, pencils, colored pencils, art products such as masks, clothing, and any safe products to be creative with their masterpiece. Tools will be provided by Hope4veterans and the community.
Vision in the group: During the 1.5 hours they can explore their art ideas with the help of facilitators and counselors. After the 1.5 hours we come together in a small group for 1.5 hours to encourage them to talk about what they did as their mastermind project, how they felt and what are some thoughts that came up while drawing, writing or any art project that they started. If they struggle or not ready to tell, ask permission if we can ask the group what they think of the art project. Share around the room. Encourage each woman if they felt they enjoyed the group next session to bring other military women to the group and/or ideas for art they would love to try or learn. Our goal is to bring women together and prevent isolation and suicide.
Group rules: Positive encouragement, clean up your area, encourage participation by bringing in fun ideas and allowing women to lead the projects in some classes.
Other Creative ideas: Can add exterior/interior masks, Lanterns, Mandala, dreamcatcher, nail art, Wine glass art, Art Journaling, Paint to music, Vision board, Tie Blankets, Jewelry making, Mind mapping, egg painting, Family tree, Rock Paintings, Forgiveness letters, Dream Drawing, Tile Art, Collage your vision and goals. Snow globes, Canvas bag art, pre drawn art add your touch.
Other additional: teaching mediation, breathing techniques, and other forms of relaxation before and after depending on the group dynamics. Prayer at the end of class. We require photo release for group photos or photos during activities in class.
Women Meet and Greet/ P2P Therapeutic Art
January thru April (in person/online)
Summer break-May thru July- (Family days and Meet/Greets)
August thru November (In Person/online)
6-8 week class over 3 month time frame (Every 2 weeks) Evenings
Each week may vary depending on group dynamic.
1. (1) meeting Art therapy
A. Group rules/ Instructions
B. Pre-Questionnaire/ survey
C. Journal/ Fancy Pen- given for projects outside class and resources
D. Break ice introduction/activities- Unmasking
E. H4V bring plain sketch pictures to color and write notes
F. Art support group talk about colors, meaning, feelings and thoughts/ Ice breaking
2. (2) meeting Art therapy
A. Work on a tree adding growth/ positive journey.
B. Adding your own Art with all Art tools provided/pencil/color/paint/cutting.
C. Photography activities
D. Bring in next session a photo and/or inspiration quote that resonates toward growth.
E. Art Support group talk about drawings, positive feedback, and meanings and next week project
3. (3) meeting Art Therapy
A. Jewelry- inspiration positive words bracelet or necklace
B. Wine Painting/Glass painting/ Canvas painting
C. Art Support Group talk about art project. Feelings, thoughts, and our goals/vision next week
4. (4) meeting Art Therapy
A. Vision/ Goal Board positive affirmation
B. Drawing bubbles positive affirmations
C. Art Support group talk about art project, feelings, thoughts and next week project
5. (5) meeting Art therapy
A. Building trust in group- group member suggestion teaches an activity
B. Affirmation Jar – communication activity
C. Video opportunity tell your story.
D. Art Support group talk about art project, feelings thoughts and next week project.
6. (6) week Art Therapy
A. Post survey/ questionnaire
B. Tell her story by art/ writing work as a team
C. Additional hands-on projects group decides
D. Art support talk about art project, feelings, thoughts, and future connections/events
7. (7) week Art Therapy
A. Collaborate other organizations- Yoga, dance, poetry etc.,
B. Additional hands-on projects group decides.
C. Art support talk about art project, feelings, thoughts, and future connections/events
8. (8) week Art Therapy
A. Post survey/ questionnaire
B. Tell her story by art/ writing work as a team.
C. Graduation – group pictures throughout the weeks
D. Art support talk about art project, feelings, thoughts, and future connections/events
During these 6 weeks our goal is build connection and trust within our group; Women Veterans, to understand unconscious, her strengths and challenges through Therapeutic art. As the founder and a Women Veteran, herself, she went through Art therapy which discovered her unconscious emotions and thoughts. Each time she seen awareness within her artwork and others. She seen a positive change and self confidence within her clients and herself. Combining Peer2Peer Sister, Social monthly fun events, Therapeutic art and helping our women obtain the benefits they deserve and earned. Hope4Veterans goals is to prevent isolation, homelessness, and suicide for our Women Veterans in Florida. That includes finding our military women.
Therapeutic Art Projects is geared to Honor, Recognize, and Hear HER voice in November Fundraiser/ gala event each year. In the Gala we will display their Therapeutic Art and be recognized for their art. Our counselors help bring awareness and walk them through any struggles or challenges they may face and if they need more 1 one 1 then we have the option because we have a counselor nearby.