bring Hope Stars to your city
What is hope stars league?
Hope Stars leagues are extracurricular sports and activity programs designed to facilitate peer-to-peer engagement, large group socialization, and self- paced skill-learning for children with autism or other developmental delays. Hope Stars Leagues give children with autism and their families the opportunity to participate in the typical childhood experience of team sports and clubs, without the pressure of competition and comparison. Each league is designed to let children go at their own pace and interact with volunteers and peers at their own comfort level, while still being exposed to learning new skills in a new environment.
The Eliza Hope Foundation Hope Stars League
Program information
Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities:
The program director will be responsible for securing a consistent location for each league to take place. Hope Stars Leagues can be runout of community parks, local churches, public schools, or YMCA facilities. The program director will market the programs and recruit children to participate in the programs, as well as volunteers to help run each program. Each Hope Stars League operates with a 1:3 volunteer to child ratio. If 20 children are participating, at least 7 volunteers need to be present. The program director will transport all supplies and equipment necessary for each league, as well as league T- shirts that are given out at the first session, snacks at the end of each session, and trophies awarded at the last session.
Program Director Role and Responsibilities:
Volunteers will sign up to participate for a full Hope Stars League, committing to attend at least 4 of 6 sessions. Volunteers will assist with helping transition participants from station to station and may be asked to run a specific station by demonstrating the behaviors or skills required. Volunteers will cheer on and engage with participants. Volunteers with experience in special education, ABA therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, or early childhood education are preferred but not required.
Eliza Hope Foundation Roles and Responsibilities:
Frequently Asked Questions
The Eliza Hope Foundation will provide branded t-shirts for participants, trophies or medals for the conclusion of each
program, and program supplies (I.E., basketballs, soccer balls, scout handbooks), funding to purchase snacks, and additional funds if a free public venue cannot be found or space cannot be donated UP TO $400.00. If the cost of your league exceeds $400.00 you will need to seek support from your community through sponsorships or donations to cover any expenses over $400.00.
The Eliza Hope Foundation will provide guidebooks for each league with suggested activity stations, session structure, and
volunteer training.
Hope Stars Leagues are offered quarterly- soccer in the fall (September/October), basketball in the winter (January/February), music & movement in the spring (March/April) and kickball in early summer (May/June), and scouts (can happen any time). Leagues meet once weekly over a 6-week period. Saturday morning meetings are preferable but not required if another timeframe still meets the needs of the families attending. Each league begins with every child receiving a t-shirt or jersey on week 1 and concludes with a ceremony in which each child receives a trophy or medal for participating.
*After a commitment has been made to run a Hope Stars League the Eliza Hope Foundation will provide league-specific
guidebooks for the leagues requested.
League Structure
1. What should we do if the league is outdoors and there is inclement weather?
If the weather isn’t cooperating for your Hope Stars practice, we ask that you make an educated decision (check weather apps and watch the news) and simply send an email to the parents of all your participants by 6:00pm the night before your event letting them know it is canceled for the following day. If your venue allows, you are welcome to extend the session an extra week but are not obligated to do so.
2. How many kids can participate in our Hope Stars league?
Due to the costs associated with the program and the number of volunteers necessary for a successful league we ask that no more than 30 kids are registered. However, a league can go forward and be a great success with as little as 10 participants.
Remember- 1 volunteer per 3 children is our best practice recommendation.
3. Where should we find volunteers?
We find that the best volunteers are those with experience working with children with autism- this includes speech pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and ABA therapists. However, we welcome any volunteers who can be enthusiastic and patient with the children. Many of our volunteers have come from church groups, adolescent leadership groups, and other autism organizations.
4. How do we get someone to sponsor our Hope Stars League?
Please review our Sponsorship Ask Template.
5. How much notice does the Eliza Hope Foundation need in order to provide t-shirts and supplies for the start of our Hope Stars League?
We ask for a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice before the start of a Hope Stars League. This gives us time to set up the registration page and order t-shirts and supplies.
If you have read all of the info and you are interested in starting a league in your city reach out through the contact form below!