Phase I
Education + Building Awareness
(FORTIFY)
The first phase is rooted in social psychology. Oftentimes, social and psychological influences are powerful and can affect our thoughts, actions, and behaviors without our knowledge: these tendencies, such as the Bystander Effect and “In Group” Favoritism, can serve as barriers to heroic action. By gaining awareness and understanding of these influences, members are able to reflect on their actions and recognize when these influences are at play, empowering them with the agency to act heroically.
Phase II
Defining a Hero + Heroic Act
(INSPIRE)
In the next step of the journey to heroism, members will explore what it means to be a hero and act heroically. In order to become heroes ourselves, we first must reflect on what being a hero means. In Phase 2, club members will engage in open discussion about heroism, as well as become inspired by current heroes.
Phase III
Reflecting + Committing to Heroism
(CALL TO ACTION)
In Phase 3, members will reflect on the values and causes that they are passionate about. Members will recognize how they can become heroes, commiting to living a life of bravery and courage in which they will stand up and speak out, ultimately taking charge as the next generation of changemakers.
PHASE I
Phase 1 Session 1: Welcome to the HIP Hero Club
The aim of the first session is to serve as an introduction to the HIP Hero Club while fostering camaraderie and excitement between the club leader and fellow club members. This session includes icebreaker activities, an overview of the curriculum, and an initial discussion surrounding the definition of heroism. Together, members will brainstorm values that are important to them and that they hope to foster throughout their club.
Phase 1 Session 3: Power of the Situation
Members will embark on their HIP Hero Club journey by exploring the Power of the Situation, a foundational concept for the rest of Phase 1. Using the seminal Stanford Prison Experiment as a clear example of how situational and social factors can unconsciously influence and dictate behavior, in P1 S1 members will brainstorm how they may both recognize and combat these invisible influences.
Phase 1 Session 3: Conformity
Through the means of the Asch Experiment, in P1 S2 members will recognize the power of Conformity, or the pressure for someone to change their own behaviors, attitudes, and/or beliefs in order to comply or agree with the majority. The session will spark a discussion surrounding the factors that may influence people to conform, as well as how to overcome these tendencies.
Phase 1 Session 4: The Bystander Effect
By learning about real and tragic examples of the Bystander Effect, members will recognize how the presence of inactive others during an emergency often leads people to wait for others to do something first or to ignore the situation altogether. In P1 S3, members will reflect on their own experiences with the Bystander Effect and problem-solve on how to fortify against this negative influence.
Phase 1 Session 5: Blind Obedience to Authority
Exploring the Milgram Experiment, in P1 S4, members will recognize the propensity for people to blindly obey authority figures, even when their orders oppose their morals and their conscience and result in harm to others. Members will discuss the factors that contribute to this tendency and how they may fortify against them.
Phase 1 Session 6: "In Group" Favoritism (Prejudice)
Through seminal experiments such as the Brown Eyes Blue Eyes experiment in P1 S5, members will recognize their natural inclination to categorize themselves and others into “in-groups” and “out-groups”, and the harmful implications that come with these classifications. By discussing “In-Group” Favoritism and the Stereotype Threat, members will reflect on their own “in-groups” and “out-groups” and how they can choose to promote greater inclusivity.
PHASE II
Phase 2 Session 1: Defining a Hero
Stimulating an open discussion around heroism and heroic action, P2 S1 will provide the space for members to explore what it means to be a hero and act heroically. Members will break down and analyze the HIP definition of a hero, as “someone who takes action for the good of others while understanding the risk or sacrifice involved,” as well as dive into the distinctions between a “Hero-in-Waiting” and a “Hero-in-Action.”
Phase 2 Session 2: The Hero's Journey
By studying the Hero’s Journey, the universal pattern of steps that heroes take, members recognize how someone can begin in the “ordinary world” and choose to set out on a brave journey to improve the world around them. In P2 S2, members will analyze the steps of the Hero’s Journey and how it can apply in real-world situations and their own lives.
Phase 2 Session 3: Hero Talk/ Hero Inspiration
Hearing from people who have acted heroically serves as inspiration and motivation. In P2 S3, members will listen to individuals discussing their own heroic journeys either by inviting a hero to speak to their club (can be a community member, a teacher, student, a celebrity, etc.) or by watching interviews online (provided by HIP).
PHASE III
Phase 3 Session 1: Becoming a Hero Part 1
To start off the final phase of the HIP Hero Club, members learn what they can do in their daily lives to cultivate heroic actions. Members recognize how being a positive deviant, looking outside themselves, and identifying as a hero can make them more likely to act heroically when the situation calls for it.
Phase 3 Session 2: Becoming a Hero Part 2
In P3 S2, members further cultivate a mindset that empowers them to act heroically by broadening their social groups and practicing their heroic imaginations. As heroism stems from passion-driven action aligning with personal values, members reflect on their core values and the causes about which they are passionate.
Phase 3 Session 3: Call to Action and Conclusion
The concluding session reviews what members have learned throughout the HIP Hero Club and the impacts it has had on their lives. Members finish by taking the Hero Pledge in which members plan how they will act heroically and positively impact the world.