programs for children & adults
For: Youth serving organizations and the children they serve in Lancaster County, PA. Child Care Centers, Nursery Schools, Boy
Scouts, Girl Scouts, sports teams, summer camps, schools, youth centers, clubs, MOM's groups and more.
Scouts, Girl Scouts, sports teams, summer camps, schools, youth centers, clubs, MOM's groups and more.
Cost: FREE There is no fee to the organizations in Lancaster
County, PA for these programs. These programs are made possible through a grant from the Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation. LOHF exists to "elevate the mental well-being of youth and children in Lancaster County." |
What & Why: We all dream of a life of joy & peace for the children we serve. To prevent child sexual abuse & assault means
talking about it. It means introducing children to important concepts in an age-appropriate manner. We are pleased
to offer these programs free of charge through a partnership with the Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation. By
scheduling some for your organization, you are part of working toward a brighter future.
talking about it. It means introducing children to important concepts in an age-appropriate manner. We are pleased
to offer these programs free of charge through a partnership with the Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation. By
scheduling some for your organization, you are part of working toward a brighter future.
How: Right. It's COVID. This means we are flexible with how we present this information. If your group is meeting in
person, we can present at your location. Are you connecting virtually? We can present over Zoom, while still
having interactive activities to engage the listeners. This can be cast into a classroom if you are meeting in person
but cannot have outside guests, or if participants are at home, all can connect in.
person, we can present at your location. Are you connecting virtually? We can present over Zoom, while still
having interactive activities to engage the listeners. This can be cast into a classroom if you are meeting in person
but cannot have outside guests, or if participants are at home, all can connect in.
When: We are scheduling programs through October 2021. We are flexible on day of week and time of day.
See the Inquiry Form at the bottom of this page to connect.
See the Inquiry Form at the bottom of this page to connect.
programs
Elementary/Ages 6-10
These three sessions are designed to build on each other. Holding the 1-hour sessions in a series allows kids to reinforce what they've learned, and practice the skills taught. If you are not able to hold all three, we recommend starting with the first one.
Session #1 - Basic Body Safety
In a fun and engaging way, kids will learn that it is important for them to use the correct words for their private parts. Our bodies are good! There is no shame in using the proper term for our body, just like our eyes and nose. They will also understand what kind of touches are safe and unsafe. They’ll be given scenarios that are age-appropriate and will be asked to think through whether the touch is safe or unsafe. It’s important for them to understand that private parts stay private! We’ll also watch a little, fun video that shows the kids that they are the boss of their own bodies. This is helpful to begin to teach kids that they can say ‘no’ if someone begins to touch them inappropriately. They’ll also learn that when they say ‘no’, they can use their ‘I mean business voice’, which boosts their confidence and allows them to take their own boundaries in their hands.
Workshop Time: 1 hour
Workshop Time: 1 hour
Session #2 - It's OK to Tell
Kids will begin to explore what it might be like to tell an adult that something has happened to them. Kids will learn to identify the 'icky' feeling they sometimes get if someone makes them uncomfortable. They will be given scenarios and dialogue through what that might feel like. The children will also learn about people with 'touching problems' and learn that sometimes these people like to give gifts and keep secrets from other adults. Through an activity, they will identify whether something is a ‘red or green’ light situation. They will also develop a body safety circle, where kids will actually write down who they feel safe telling if something ever happened to them. They’ll learn that it’s brave and right to tell! They’ll watch another little video that teaches this principle.
Session #3 - What Would You Do If...?
Kids learn that we all have a ‘guiding voice’ inside of us we need to listen to that tells us when a touch is NOT OK. This guiding voice helps guide how we think, feel, and act. We discuss a video of a girl sharing her experience with unsafe touch. We work through situations and talk about how we would think, feel, and act with each scenario. We’re going to draw our own ‘safety comics’. Kids can use words or pictures to draw out a situation that shows they know how to make a safe choice (these may overlap into other safety issues, not necessarily sexual abuse). They will also be given sticky situation cards and will be asked how they would respond to the situations. Kids may engage in questions or discussion as they have absorbed the information more deeply. We will wrap things up by them designing the cover of a t-shirt (on paper) to show and symbolize who they are. This helps to bring positive self-esteem, strength, confidence, and empowers kids to know their identity and boundaries.
Jr. High/Ages 11-14
These 1-hour sessions can each be stand alone.
Healthy Relationships + Respect
In this lesson, your kids will discover what makes a relationship healthy. In a healthy relationship, you can talk about what is bothering you, compromise, respect each other's privacy, and support one another. We'll look for indicators of an unhealthy relationship or friendship and learn how to identify those things - power, control, unequal, and jealousy. Through a series of engaging activities and discussion, participants will learn about respect and the role it plays in healthy relationships. Focused on listening, being assertive, and using refusal skills - this session can enhance all types of relationships.
Internet & Social Media Safety
We will get to know each other a little bit first and then discover the concept of 'consent'. This principle is one of the most important sexual abuse and assault prevention concepts to learn. We will explore boundaries and talk about what those boundaries might look like for them personally. We'll watch a funny little video on the concept of consent to drive home that idea. Next, we will talk about what porn is and how it is not a realistic picture of healthy sexuality. We will read a couple of sections from "Good Pictures, Bad Pictures," a book by Kristen Jensen. We are also going to talk about sexting. This is a very common occurrence and many local school districts are battling this issue. I will explain to kids the impact and significance of sexting through an activity with yarn to show them the gravity of this type of interaction. In exploring these topics, your kids will walk away with open conversation about things they may have never talked about and they will be equipped with knowledge about online safety.
Understanding Sexual Orientation + Gender Identity
This session will include conversations and activities to understand the difference between gender, sex, and sexual orientation. This can be a confusing issue for youth (and parents!). Helping young people to understand the distinctions and have language to talk about them is a social intelligence skill needed to navigate today’s culture. We’ll also talk about things to do or say if a friend “comes out” to them as LGBTQ or is struggling with their gender identity - focusing on trust, respect, and holding confidentiality when a friend asks for support. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions they may not have been able to ask before and to discuss the complexities of sexuality. We will be addressing these issues from a psychological and medical perspective, and encourage parents and youth leaders to engage young people in conversations about theological and religious values around these topics in the weeks following this series.