Catholic Charities of Wichita is 1 of 11 locations around the country that are recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation creating the largest initiative ever funded to promote healthy teen relationships and prevent dating violence.
As part of the launch, the Choose Respect drama troupe performed The Outrage, an educational play by Allison N. Basinger, Education and Prevention Coordinator at SAFEHOME, Inc. in Johnson County, Kansas. Start Strong Wichita is also proud to announce the newest drama troupe, The South High don’t u luv me?. This play explores the developing problems of cyber stalking, text messaging, and harassment.
Building on the work of Choose Respect and partner projects which include: WASAC (Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center) Prevention Education and Boys & Girls Club’s Passport to Manhood and Smart Girls, Start Strong Wichita aims to reach 7,750 local teens with Building Healthy Teen Relationship activities. The vision of Start Strong Wichita is to empower teens age 11 through 14 with healthy relationships through education, peer mentoring and support from other adults, resulting in a decrease of intimate partner violence and sexual assault. By the end of the initiative, Start Strong Wichita will implement Fourth R curriculum in at least four middle schools and two high schools. The Fourth “R” refers to “relationships” and is considered the other “R” we need to teach besides reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Expanding recruitment and participation of new youth leaders is a goal of the Start Strong Wichita project. A youth committee has been formed that will be tasked with hands on development and facilitation of the project. Teens will mentor and teach other teens through a variety of mediums such as small and large group facilitation, drama, Web sites, , video production, social marketing campaigns on the air and in print. These teens will receive intense training on teen dating violence and teen sexual assault. This training will assist them in teaching other teens about healthy relationship skills and how to prevent dating violence. Recruitment of older teens will occur at schools through Choose Respect and youth organizations led by project partners and supporting organizations, including Youth United for Positive Action (YUPA). YUPA has a 10-year history of recruiting high school student leaders; providing training in advocacy and development of school policies and action plans. In addition, teen influencers such as parents, teachers, coaches, and youth program mentors will be recruited and educated to support youth in developing healthy relationships and preventing adolescent dating abuse.
About Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, we work with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years we’ve brought experience, commitment and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those we serve. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, we expect to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information visit www.startstrongteens.org
