Community Education

Prevention, Education and Community Engagement: The PEACE Project

The mission of the PEACE Project is to raise awareness and provide education that will engage the entire community in ending relationship violence and creating a peaceful society.

Thank you for your interest in learning more about domestic violence and how you can make a difference in the effort to end the cycle of abuse that one of three women will experience in her lifetime. Family Shelter cannot do it alone and education is the true key to ending abuse.

How can you help? Family Shelter Service has developed two avenues that you can easily access to learn more about our organization, services and about domestic abuse: Speakers Bureau and Community Education.

Speakers Bureau

The Speakers Bureau is designed to offer general information to groups about Family Shelter Service and what we do as an agency. Topics covered during these presentations include:

Who is Family Shelter?
Victim services
Volunteer opportunities
Financial and in-kind donations

These presentations would be appropriate for, but are not limited to, community clubs, churches, service organizations and those seeking an important cause to which they may donate money or time.

The recommended time for the presentation is 15 to 30 minutes.

To schedule a presentation contact Lindsay Mack at lmack@familyshelterservice.net.

If you are looking for more in-depth education about issues of domestic abuse, please refer to the information listed below under “Community Training & Education” to learn more about available classes.

Community Training & Education

Domestic abuse is a very complex issue that affects not only the victim, but also the victim’s family and society as a whole. Family Shelter offers several educational modules in order to meet the needs of individuals, groups and/or professionals in our community. Our professional facilitators are experienced in addressing a number of topics and we welcome the opportunity to offer a class to you.

Getting Involved – Taking the First Step

This class is designed for those who are learning about domestic violence for the first time. Topics covered include:

Defining domestic violence
Use of power and control in relationships
Impact on the victim
Barriers to ending abusive relationships
Cycle of violence

The recommended length of this class is a minimum of 1- 1.5 hour.

Recommended audience: Churches, parent groups, civic groups

Fee: $50

Responding to Domestic Violence

This class is designed for professionals who encounter victims in their work and are seeking tools that will help them respond appropriately to this sensitive issue. Topics covered are:

Understanding Power & Control
Basic understanding of trauma
Intervention techniques: questions to ask, listening, respecting and supporting
Safety planning
Community resources and referrals

The recommended length of this class is a minimum of 1.5 – 2 hours.

Recommended audience: service providers, teachers, substance abuse programs, and healthcare providers

Fee: $100

Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

This training is appropriate for professionals who work with children and those who wish to understand the effect of family violence on those who are most vulnerable – children. Topics covered are:

Impact on children
Child witnesses
Child trauma
Supportive behaviors
Mandated reporting requirements can be added for a fee

The recommended length of this class is a minimum of 1.5 – 2 hours.

Recommended audience: agencies providing services to children, teachers, and child care providers

Fee: $100

Healthy Teen Dating Relationships

This training can be adapted for teens, parents and professionals who work with teens. Topics covered are:

Warning signs for teens and parents
Defining teen abuse
What do healthy relationships look like
Dating Bill of Rights
Teen safety planning

The recommended length of this class is a minimum of 1.5 – 2hours

Recommended audience: parents, mother-daughter groups, teachers, youth ministries, and agencies serving teens

Fee structure:

Teen groups (one-time introductory presentation*)- $50
Parent groups – $75
Professionals – $100

*This is a one-time introductory presentation for the Healthy Relationships Workshop Series

Healthy Relationships Workshop Series

One of the PEACE Project’s main focuses is preventing future violence, and because of this the project is very dedicated to educating youth. This workshops series is appropriate for youth of middle school age and up and is a minimum of 6 weeks, or 9 hours of content.

Based on research, the Healthy Relationships Workshop Series:

Acknowledges relationship violence as a community problem, not just a criminal justice problem, that requires a community-wide response and involvement
Aims to alter attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs about relationship violence over a period of time
Increases individuals’ awareness about the complexities of relationship violence, and provides them with information to recognize abuse in their own and others relationships
Educates individuals on how to effect change and take leadership in their community on ending relationship violence
Uses a variety of fun, interesting, and innovative activities to engage individuals in dynamic discussion.

Different subjects covered:

Gender roles/societal influence
Media influence
The difference between a healthy, unhealthy, and abusive relationship
Communication in a relationship
Bullying
How to help a friend/What to do if someone witnesses abuse
What teens can do to help stop dating abuse

To complete the entire workshop series, it takes a minimum of 6 weeks at one hour per topic covered. However, it is possible to request segments of the workshop if there are time contraints. After the workshop series is completed, there is also a possibility for teens to do a community service/leadership project, with support from Family Shelter Service, to engage their community in ending violence.

Fee: $50 per participant

Advanced Training Topics*

Cultural issues and domestic violence
Issues specific to immigrants
Impact of childhood trauma on adults
Intervention techniques
Legal system and domestic violence
Substance abuse and domestic violence
Screening techniques for medical professionals
Workplace and domestic violence

*For those with a basic understanding of domestic violence

For more information, or to arrange for any of these training opportunities, contact Peggy Radke at pradke@familyshelterservice.net.