PAVE
Jan GreenRiver
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MySpace: www.myspace.com/mhapave FaceBook: pave@mhalc.org
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A new school year has started and the Prevent Assault & Violence Education (PAVE) program is about ready to get started, too. Since it began in 1994, PAVE has been all about trying to prevent school violence in Licking County and beyond by using one of our greatest “hidden” resources – high school student volunteers. These trained students go into middle school classrooms as peer educators who talk to younger students about things like school bullying, violence at school, teen dating violence, media literacy, physical assault and different types of abuse, sexual harassment and other forms sexual assault. Through role-plays, media, videos and music, PAVE teens show the younger students what they can do to overcome some of the negative influences that may be in their lives. While they educate others, PAVE teens also develop many youth asset-building skills at regular Monday meetings; skills like improvisation, teaching, public speaking, nutrition, leadership, self defense, volunteering and so much more. Teens from all over Licking County get to make new friends as they all help create a safer school and community for all. Unlike many school violence programs, PAVE is research-based and shown to assist today’s youth who participate at any level. Different pieces of the PAVE program introduce a variety of ways to prevent school violence. In sixth grade, PAVE teach students about bullying, cyberbullying and the importance of upstanders. Seventh grade students learn to be more critical thinkers as they prevent school violence by reviewing things the media may be teaching them. Then by eighth grade, students learn about everything from diversity to anger management to sexual assault. At risk teens may enjoy meeting with other teens, violence prevention educators all, who don’t judge others based on “where they are” in their lives. Some may be victims of teen violence or abuse themselves. Students looking at possibly working in education, public speaking, psychology, social work, or at preventing violence of any kind volunteer for PAVE and then possibly move on as a college student to teach high school violence prevention as a RespectEducator where they can be paid as contract staff. Service learning and community service work are all a part of the PAVE program and some high schools allow volunteer youth to earn graduation credit for their time in PAVE. Information is provided in a positive and non-threatening manner that is age and developmentally appropriate, raises self-esteem, improves self-reliance and reduces vulnerability. Further, the program creates an environment in which youth can more easily identify and disclose prior or ongoing maltreatment. Since survivors have cited lack of awareness about existing services as the number one reason for not using these services after an assault, each participant is provided with a wallet-sized resource card listing phone numbers of available assistance. PAVE is also on MySpace and Facebook for easy accessibility to teens. Violence won’t to go away on its own, so we want to prepare as many youth many ways to prevent it and report it. When we work together, we can learn how to prevent school violence and share that knowledge in our neighborhoods and families. 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually assaulted by age 18. 1 in 4 teens has seen or been affected by teen dating violence. Over 160,000 students missed school today for fear of being bullied. 14% of US children have been victims of some form of child maltreatment. To become a high school volunteer in the PAVE program, just contact Mental Health America and ask to speak with someone about PAVE. You, too, can stop the violence. |
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PAVE presented to:
PAVE Awards
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PAVE program shared with:
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