The GRIT Program (Greater Resilience Intervention Teams) is a community resilience training offered through NIHR at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. This program was launched in late March, three weeks after COVID-19 hit the U.S. The GRIT program was created with the goal of expanding the resilience capacity of communities. It includes five one-hour long modules that focus on goals grounded in the science of empowerment. Key components of this training are emotional support, resilience encouragement and motivation, reassurance, and resources. The goal of the program is to capitalize on community-established social networks, training individuals to be “coaches” who then promote strength and resilience within their social groups. The program is now fully automated, so coaches can access training at a convenient time for them.

The GRIT program has made great strides since March. As of November 23rd, 2020, 1494 individuals have signed up for the training. The training is now in 39 states (shown in red below) plus Washington D.C, Armed Services Pacific, Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. GRIT coaches have made thousands of contacts within their community, including family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even strangers.

GRIT has since expanded to add two other customized trainings. The first training, GRIT4ED, is specifically designed for educators and those working the school and education environment. The purpose of this training is to teach supportive, coping skills for colleagues, families, and students in school communities. The first training was in late April 2020 and the program is steadily expanding by working directly with the school districts across the region. 

The second training, GRITLead, is specifically designed for leaders and small business owners. The program was launched the second week of July 2020 to leaders throughout the community. The training teaches strategies around supporting employees, managing in a new environment, and how to assist employees in the back-to-work transition.

Two additional trainings are currently also being developed. GRIT4Health is a resilience coach concept focused on the unique trauma of our healthcare workers across the state of Colorado. With funding of $35,000 from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, this program will be a collaboration with the Anschutz Medical Campus. GRITHUB and GRITMOBILE are also currently being developed in collaboration with El Paso County Public Health. GRITHUB will join a new development at Mission Trace to interweave resilience training within the other services for the community. There will also be a mobile car for GRIT (GRITMOBILE) that will move throughout the southeast area to provide support and resilience coach training.

Nicole Weis, who helps lead and coordinate these trainings, says, “It’s incredibly inspiring to see our communities from across the country and world come together to support one another. I think those who take our training feel empowered to reach out to others and make meaningful connections and by doing so we are all becoming more resilient!”