Next Step Songbook (Summer 2026)
2026-05-11 - 2026-07-20
Do you experience complicated feelings around life, your medical journey, connections with others? Are you struggling with your confidence and using your voice with your doctors, at school, work or in your social life?
Next Step Songbook is about finding your voice and your story through songwriting. Kimberly, Next Step Song Studio Director, will help you tell the story you want to tell. Songbook is a safe space to be you – to live your life in the midst of challenge or joy. You can express yourself through writing song lyrics, reflect on your life, practice using your voice and tell the story you want to tell about yourself.
Program Description:

FREE virtual program
Find your voice, develop your self confidence and learn other life skills
For young people, ages 16-29, living with a serious illness
3-4 week cycles starting in May 2026

2026 Summer Dates
Cycle 1: The week of Monday, May 11th through the week of Monday, June 8th
Cycle 2: The week of Monday, June 22nd through the week of Monday, July 20th
Questions?
Email Casey Casey, Next Step Partnership Coordinator, if you have questions about Next Step Songbook: casey@nextstepnet.org

Next Step Songbook Application (Summer 2026)
Please fill out the form below if you are interested in joining this online program.

Name*

First

Last

NicknameHave you been to a Next Step Program before?*

Yes

Attended Introductory Event Only (e.g. Next Step Mobile at hospital, community center, etc.)

No
How did you hear about Next Step?*

Next Step Outreach (Email or Event)

Google/Internet Search

Social Media (Instagram, etc.)

Family Member/Trusted Adult

Another Participant

Medical Staff

Address*

Street Address

Address Line 2

City

State / Province / Region

ZIP / Postal Code

Country
AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaRéunionSaint BarthélemySaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyria Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, the United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluTürkiyeUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaViet NamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweÅland Islands

Phone*Alternate PhoneEmail*

Preferred mode of contact?*

Email

Cell Phone (Call)

Cell Phone (Text)
Current Occupation*Employer or School*Age*Birthday*

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Race/Ethnicity*Gender*Pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them)*What is the highest level of education you have received so far?*Hospital or Clinic where you receive medical care?*PARENT/GUARDIAN AND EMERGENCY CONTACTName*

First

Last

Relationship*Phone*Email*

Medical OverviewDiagnosis*Food Allergies & ReactionsEnvironmental Allergies (bee, latex, etc) & ReactionsDo you carry an Epi-Pen?

Yes

No
Are there are any special accommodations you would need (dietary, mobility, equipment, etc.)? Please explain:Are there any activity limitations?Community Agreement/Rules of Conduct*Let’s make a plan for when life or illness or school or work or family, happens.* Thank you for making a commitment to yourself. In signing this document, you are agreeing to work on your songwriting in collaboration with a Next Step Therapeutic Songwriter. This is such an empowering moment you are choosing to grow into, and we want to encourage you to take care of your experience. Songbook only works if you put in the creative and expressive work. As you step into your stretch zone with songwriting and finding your voice, at times there may be creative challenges. Just know that throughout the Songbook process, you will be supported. Here are the guidelines and commitments that we are expecting from you:*

1. Participants commit to staying in Songbook for the full cycle(s)

2. Participants agree to communicate honestly and openly with their Therapeutic Songwriter - specifically, during studios when collaborating on their song, when they need to cancel or reschedule their studio for that week, and if they have a medical, family, work or school event that conflicts with their Songbook studio or commitment

3. Participants agree to work on finding, and listening to, their voice, and building up their self-confidence through their songwriting experience

4. Participants will meet with their Therapeutic Songwriter on a weekly basis, virtually through zoom, to advance their original song towards production and completion

5. Participants agree to come prepared to meetings to work on writing and developing their song – and all song parts – lyrics, rhythm, harmony, melody and style

6. Participants agree to follow through on all songwriting and song-creating tasks needed to move towards song completion

7. Participants agree to be timely to all meetings and interactions with their Therapeutic Songwriter
Please select as an indication that you will adhere to the code of conduct.The Following Behaviors are grounds for Immediate Dismissal:*

1. Physical confrontations or assaults. This means harming, attempting to harm, or threatening to harm another person, with or without a weapon or dangerous object

2. Bullying. As defined as unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Social bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships and can include leaving someone out on purpose, telling other’s not to be friends with an individual, spreading rumors, embarrassing someone.

3. Stealing or damaging property

4. Possession or use of drugs and alcohol

5. Sexual misconduct or sexual assault

6. Leaving without permission

7. The possession of any type of weapon
Please select as an indication that you understand the behaviors that are unacceptable at the program. Please indicate:*

I agree to the community agreement

I do not agree to the community agreement
PHOTO AND INFORMATION RELEASEI give Next Step permission to photograph and use pictures or visual and/or audiotapes of me in professional or fundraising activities. On occasion, with this permission, participant photographs may be included on the Next Step website, on a bulletin board, video, newsletter, campference album, or in personal photographs. Next Step respects the privacy of participants and does not allow unauthorized visitors to photograph the campference or participants. In addition, by signing below, I give Next Step permission to give my name, address and/or phone number to groups or individuals wishing to support Next Step by inviting me to an event or by sending me information related to Next Step. This list will not be sold or given to anyone else for any other reason.Please check appropriate box and provide your signature below:*

I agree to the photo release

I do not agree to the photo release
Please SignBy signing below, I hereby acknowledge that I have read and fully understand the terms and expectations of the program. All information provided is current and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Name*

First

Last

Date*

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Please check this box to indicate that the above signature will serve as your electronic signature

(Delegate or Legal Guardian if the Delegate is not over the age of 18)
UntitledFirst ChoiceSecond ChoiceThird Choice

Δ

Next Step Mentoring Program (Summer 2026)
2026-05-25 - 2026-08-29
Do you have goals that you just can’t seem to make progress on? Maybe you feel like you know exactly what you need to do but you still can’t seem to do it? Or maybe you are already doing everything you can, but it doesn’t feel like you’re making a dent? If you said yes to any of these questions, our mentoring program might just be the extra boost you need. Our 2026 Summer Mentoring Program starts the week of May 25. This FREE program is for young people, ages 16-29, living with a chronic illness.
Most of the time, we already have the skills we need to move forward on our own but it can feel hard to get started. What we need is a little extra step to get moving. This is what our mentorship program can do for you. In our mentoring program you can identify and work on developing the skills you need to support yourself in your journey through adulthood so you can start your tomorrow, today.

Program Description:

3 month-cycle
You meet with an assigned mentor 1-on-1 each week, in-person or virtually
Meetings are ~1 hour
Work on your Action Plan (developed collaboratively by you and your mentor)
Participants are paid $20/session, a total of $240 to help support their goal

Sounds good? Fill out the application below and Richard, our Mentorship Coordinator will contact you to schedule an initial interview. You will be assigned a mentor and ready to begin at the start of the next cycle.
Questions?
Email Richard if you have any questions or need additional information about our 2025 Summer Mentoring Program: richard@nextstepnet.org

Next Step Mentoring Program Application
Please fill out the application below to join this program.

Name*

First

Last

Nickname or Preferred NameHave you attended a Next Step program before?*

Yes

Attended Introductory Event Only (e.g. Next Step Mobile at hospital, community center, etc.)

No
How did you hear about the Next Step?*

Next Step Outreach (Email or Event)

Google/Internet Search

Social Media (Instagram, etc.)

Family Member/Trusted Adult

Another Participant

Medical Staff

Other

If "other" or "medical staff," please tell us how and include the name, position and hospital of the medical staff who referred you:*Your Address*

Street Address

Address Line 2

City

State / Province / Region

ZIP / Postal Code

Country
AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBonaire, Sint Eustatius and SabaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBrunei DarussalamBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCambodiaCameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCongo, Democratic Republic of theCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d'IvoireDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHoly SeeHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwaitKyrgyzstanLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorth MacedoniaNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestine, State ofPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaRéunionSaint BarthélemySaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwedenSwitzerlandSyria Arab RepublicTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, the United Republic ofThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluTürkiyeUS Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaViet NamVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabweÅland Islands

Phone*Alternate PhoneEmail*

Preferred mode of contact?*

Email

Cell Phone (Call)

Cell Phone (Text)
Current OccupationEmployer or SchoolAgeBirthday

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Race/EthnicityGenderPronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them)What is the highest level of education you have received so far?Hospital or Clinic where you receive medical care?What do you hope to get out of the Mentoring experience?PARENT/GUARDIAN OR EMERGENCY CONTACTName*

First

Last

RelationshipPhoneEmail

Medical OverviewDiagnosis*Date of Diagnosis

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Are you on active treatment?

Yes

No
Food allergy & reactionsEnvironmental allergiesDo you carry an Epi-Pen?

Yes

No
Are there any special accommodations you would need?Are there any activity limitations?Please list any medications you take, and how often.Please take a moment to describe what symptoms you display if you've overextended yourself or are starting to get sick. How can we best support you in such a situation?CONSENT AGREEMENTAUTHORIZATION AND RELEASE
This Consent Agreement, Authorization and Release must be read and signed to be eligible to attend Next Step's Young Adult Campference.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY
I understand that occasionally accidents occur during campference activities and that participants may sustain serious personal injury and property damages as a consequence thereof. Knowing the risks of campference activities, nevertheless, and in consideration of my acceptance for participation at a campference, I hereby agree to assume those risks and to hold harmless Next Step, and all campference agents, representatives, employees and volunteers, from any and all liability, claims for personal injury and/or property damage, costs, expenses and damages arising out of or connected in any way with my participation in campference activities. Further, I acknowledge that Next Step accepts no responsibility for the loss, damage or theft of my personal property.
Please indicate:*

I consent

I do not consent
Community Agreement/Rules of ConductThank you for making a commitment to yourself. In signing this document, you are agreeing to work on your goals. Though it may be difficult at times, know that you will be supported. That said, this program only works if you put in the work. Here are the guidelines and commitments that we are expecting of you:*

Participants will agree to stay in the program for the full 3 months of the program

Participants will meet with the Mentor Specialist weekly, virtually or in-person, to review your progress and request support.

Participants agree to set a goal

Participants agree to follow through on all tasks required to move them towards goal completion and come prepared to meetings to discuss them or request support.

Participants agree to be timely to all meetings and interactions with the Mentor Specialist
Please select as an indication that you will adhere to the code of conduct.Please indicate:*

I agree to the community agreement

I do not agree to the community agreement
PHOTO AND INFORMATION RELEASEI give Next Step permission to photograph and use pictures or visual and/or audiotapes of me in professional or fundraising activities. On occasion, with this permission, participant photographs may be included on the Next Step website, on a bulletin board, video, newsletter, campference album, or in personal photographs. Next Step respects the privacy of participants and does not allow unauthorized visitors to photograph the campference or participants. In addition, by signing below, I give Next Step permission to give my name, address and/or phone number to groups or individuals wishing to support Next Step by inviting me to an event or by sending me information related to Next Step. This list will not be sold or given to anyone else for any other reason.Please check appropriate box and provide your signature below:*

I agree to the photo release

I do not agree to the photo release
Data Sharing NoticeAs a part of participating in this program, we will ask you to complete surveys about your experience. We will also collect data about you - such as how many sessions you completed, your age, gender, etc., that will be used to evaluate and continue to improve the Mentoring program. As a part of our partnership with the Duke PiCASO program, we will share those data with their team for the purpose of program improvement. Any personal information that could identify you will be removed or changed before files are shared with the Duke PiCASO team to protect your privacy and anonymity. Please SignBy signing below, I hereby acknowledge that I have read and fully understand the terms and expectations of the program. All information provided is current and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Name*

First

Last

Date*

MM slash DD slash YYYY

Please check this box to indicate that the above signature will serve as your electronic signature

(Delegate or Legal Guardian if the Delegate is not over the age of 18)

Δ
