Current Series
Our current 5-week series is called "Summer Baggage" where we will talk about some of the common things we carry as people and seek to unpack those bags and give those burdens to our good God. We hope you'll join us each Sunday evening at 6 PM for all abilities worship at Benjamin's Hope or on the livestream on our Facebook page!
METHOD OVERVIEW
NEXT is a weekday program for adults affected by disability in the West Michigan community. This program is designed to support individuals with a 5:1 staff ratio. We offer a robust scholarship program to help families afford this program.
NEXT offers a comprehensive and specialized adult program committed to whole person growth and development. Our wide array of programs fosters growth in independence, vocational skills, and community engagement.
NEXT participants engage in an array of creative and purposeful learning experiences that foster intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical wellness. Using a person-centered approach, our experienced staff help participants identify goals and natural talents that can be developed through the distinctive Ben’s Hope Way method.
INDEPENDENT GROWTH
Why: Independent Growth prioritizes the individual’s goals and dreams to work on maintaining skills and fostering new skills to achieve their aspirations. As individuals grow in independence they gain confidence, self-worth and sense of purpose.
What: Participants work toward mastery in tasks of daily living, social, leisure, and vocational skills.
How: Utilizing task analysis participants develop skills essential for adult life.
Daily Living Skills
Social Skills
Leisure Skills
Vocational Skills
SOCIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Why: Utilizing a strengths-based approach, Social Skill Development supports individuals to grow the ability to self-advocate, self-regulate, and have meaningful engagement with others. Together we create a reliable support system that fosters reciprocity, genuine relationships and an active social network.
What: NEXT participants grow in the ability to interact and communicate with others in a positive way.
How: Growth in social skills occurs through intentional social skill coaching while engaging in structured learning experiences with peers. Participants grow in their ability to follow directions, complete purposeful tasks, and problem solve.
Social Skills
Sensory Integration
RPM (Rapid Prompting Method)
Community Outings and Volunteering
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Why: The practice of providing access to opportunities and resources within the broad community reinforces the value of all humans and expands community acceptance of individuals affected by disability.
What: Strategic partnerships with local organizations and businesses afford creative opportunities to fully engage in our community.
How: NEXT participants meaningfully contribute to the broad community through:
Community Volunteering
Campus Stewardship
IMAGINATIVE EXPRESSION
Why: The arts allow creative expression of one’s thoughts, feelings, and unique gifting. NEXT participants grow in confidence as they express themselves in original and artistic ways.
What: NEXT provides an avenue to engage an individual's imagination in art, dance, drama, and music. Exploring different techniques, history, and application of the arts gives participants a robust learning experience.
How: NEXT offers creative programming designed to allow individual expression to bloom:
Creative Arts
Spiritual Growth
Sensory Integration
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Why: Health and Wellness impacts our ability to participate in community, to achieve goals and fully engage in abundant life.
What: Exercise and proper nutrition contribute to physical and emotional regulation and well-being.
How: Health and wellness programming focuses on creating healthy rhythms that contribute to wellness. Creative programming equips participants to care well for their bodies and the earth.
Daily Fitness Groups
Culinary
Horticulture
Barn
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Why: A life-long learning model affirms dignity, stimulates learning, and expands engagement. It makes the world bigger.
What: Participants grow in breadth and depth of understanding of self, humanity, and the world through rich and relevant programming.
How: We presume intelligence and communicate with one another accordingly. Using dignity-based communication and age-appropriate content participants expand in ability to think, reason, and organize ideas.
Reading Around the World
Newsletter
RPM (Rapid Prompting Method)
Sensory Integration
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Why: The transforming power of the love of Christ changes lives.
What: We believe an understanding of God’s word enables us to live together in grace, celebrate one another as image bearers, and bring the light of Christ to the world.
How: NEXT programming is infused with Biblical teaching that values all humans, and helps us live abundant life together.
Morning Devotions
Spiritual Growth
On-site Pastoral Care & Counseling
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Why: Individuals gain a special sense of ownership and accomplishment through learned vocational skills while creating tangible products.
What: Social enterprise is centered around creating opportunities to empower people.
How: All of our Social Enterprises endeavors honor the dignity of people through the making of real products and by providing work experiences that create real improvement to the environment.
Market Products
Campus Stewardship
Horticulture
Community Volunteering
THE BEN’S HOPE WAY
COMMITTED TO LOVING GOD AND OTHERS, WE FIERCELY RESPECT THE DIGNITY, INTELLIGENCE AND VALUE OF ALL HUMANS.
WE ARE CREATIVE, COURAGEOUS AND COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE.
THROUGH THE LOVE OF CHRIST WE LIVE THE ABUNDANT LIFE TOGETHER.
