Socially Distanced Doesn’t Mean Socially Disconnected – OP Community Groups
Kids go to school to both learn and socialize. Lunch breaks, classroom presentations, and after-school activities teach students how to build friendships, learn valuable communication skills, and get to know their peers. While districts decide how and when to bring students back to in-person or hybrid classes, Ophelia’s Place offers virtual Community Groups to help girls stay social, make friends, and feel a part of something valuable, safe, and fun.
OP Community Groups are 8-week virtual social groups of similarly aged girls in a safe online environment with OP staff and trained volunteers.
What do Community Groups look like?
When girls log in each week, they’re greeted by their OP facilitator, participate in a check-in activity so the group understands how each other is feeling, and then spend time on art-based activities, games, mindfulness activities, and discussion around curated themes. One activity might be creating a group name and designing a flag to represent their new community. Another activity could be drawing life’s journey along a path and marking it with milestones (good and bad) that have caused twists and turns. All activities are intentionally designed to help girls connect with themselves, each other, and the greater OP community.
Community Groups are therapeutic
Community Groups are also therapeutic spaces that reinforce many of the same mindfulness and self-regulation skills that girls learn in individual therapy. Facilitators are trained in trauma-informed practices, which means recognizing the traumatic stress many girls are carrying, and adapting to meet the needs of each girl so that they can relax, be themselves, and enjoy a non-toxic environment with other girls. Girls get to talk about themselves and what’s going on in their lives, while also learning about the types of friendships and relationships that they deserve to have. Although the groups are guided by Ophelia’s Place facilitators, the girls do most of the talking.
“this was awesome. i wish it was longer. but it was sooooooooooooooo fun!!!!!
It was nice to connect to the other girls.
It is SUPER FUN to see all the Other girls!!!! And it is fun to see everyone at OP Game Camp!! it is nice to have Something [to] Look forward to everyday!!!!”
Consistency is key
Consistency is key for these groups which means it’s crucial that girls attend every week for the full 8 weeks. It’s through these weekly, 1-hour meetings that attendees gain a better understanding of themselves and their own needs for social and emotional well-being, and they grow to trust each other and respect one another as they continue to discuss tough subjects like their friendships and relationships. They learn valuable social and communication skills that they can use throughout their lives. They may gain friendships with each other along the way, but they’ll especially learn how to manage their friendships outside of the group.
Prior to the start of the group, girls complete a virtual orientation with Ophelia’s Place and at different points throughout the 8 weeks an OP staff member will reach out to her individually to do a one-on-one check-in to assess how she is feeling about the group.
Community Groups are FREE and are available to girls ages 10-18. If you’d like to sign your daughter up call (541) 284-4333, or email info@opheliasplace.net.