Drawing Together
Many participants commented on the importance of the connections and relationships that were established throughout the program. They described the benefits of completing the program as a united group and the importance of sharing a sense of togetherness. To paraphrase one participant, it was the bonding that stood out. Another participant described the group as, “get[ting] together with my people”. Group members described the importance of the group relationships, as in the comment that “we were working toward the same goal with hope as an overriding concept”. The affiliative quality of the group was reflected in the hopes articulated. People were “ sharing… that their hope was not just for their own future but for [the] others as well”. Reflecting on the Hope Collage and the Time MachineSHARP-PWP activities, one participant offered this insight, “none of that would have been as impactful doing it alone. You could do it alone, sure you can, but it wouldn’t have been as impactful”.