Violence Prevention Initiative

The ever increasing prevalence of violence against self (drugs/alcohol, depression/suicide), family (domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, elder abuse), and community (gang violence, date rape, juvenile delinquency, bullying and other crimes) are interconnected. An inability to manage emotions, express feelings and resolve conflicts has been shown to be related to violent behaviors. The effects of this escalating violence, puts individuals, families and communities at risk.

Parent, child and family education and training have been nationally recognized as crucial tools for promoting violence prevention strategies that help to decrease the likelihood of “at risk” behaviors. The Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), through its’ Violence Prevention Initiative, has discovered that focusing our efforts on seeking and nurturing strengths and “promising behaviors”, helps to strengthen families, individuals and communities. SPAN provides training, support and information throughout the entire State of New Jersey, including the 30 Abbott School Districts.

We offer Family Development Models which help reduce youth violence and behaviors such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD).

These programs:

(a) Increase confidence in parents to model the positive non-violent behaviors they expect of their children and enhance effective communication skills, including verbal and nonverbal communication and create stronger family bonds.

(b) Help parents become better equipped at helping their children make good choices and avoid poor ones. Too often parents feel that merely by prohibiting a particular behavior their child will simply conform, without having the skills to avoid those behaviors.

(c)  Help parents to feel and be more competent in dealing with their children in a variety of areas, from rule-setting and imposition of effective consequences to working with education, health and other professionals to support their children’s education and healthy development.

     These impacts on parents result in increased child self-esteem, self-discipline, social competency skills, and build capacity to withstand pressures to engage in substance abuse and other violent behaviors.

If you would like additional information, please call 1-800-654-SPAN

Violence Prevention Workshops

STRENGTHENING MULTI-ETHNIC FAMILIES & COMMUNITIES: A VIOLENCE PREVENTION PARENT TRAINING PROGRAM

This twelve (12)-session curriculum is a unique integration of various prevention/intervention strategies geared toward reducing violence against self, the family and the community.  Information is presented with a “cultural framework” and focuses on helping both parents and children enhance life skills necessary for functioning in today’s society.  The program integrates positive discipline approaches as a vehicle for fostering high self-esteem, self-discipline and social competence in children.  Parents are provided with a mechanism to connect with community resources and encouraged to form community action groups to address social, political and economic issues related to the prevention of family and community violence.

The program is structured into five component areas:

CULTURAL/SPIRITUAL

RITES OF PASSAGE

ENHANCING RELATIONSHIPS

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PROGRAM 

(SFP) is a family focused behavior oriented prevention/intervention program designed specifically for high-risk substance abusing parents and their at-risk children. The program helps to improve parenting skills, reduce the risk of children of substance abusers becoming abusers themselves, improve communication, establish clear family rules and decrease family conflict. SFP includes a parent skills training component, a children skills training component and a family skills training component. All three components are included in each of the 14-sessions of two hour trainings.

POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS FOR CHILDREN WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS

This workshop provides an overview of a cycle of failure that often results for students with behavioral challenges.  The focus of this training is intervention with students who exhibit challenging behaviors (e.g. aggression, self-injury, tantrums).  The emphasis on educational strategies helps students learn alternate behaviors that can lead to long-term change.  Information on due process rights of children in the discipline process will also be provided.

CREATING POSITIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

This workshop helps parents and professionals understand the factors that contribute to positive school environments.  Strategies for evaluating and improving school climate are discussed, and examples of the impact of those strategies are provided.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

This workshop defines parents’ due process rights and ways to resolve conflicts, emphasizing working through the ranks to resolve conflict as close to the source as possible.  It is designed not only for parents who are experiencing serious communication breakdown, but also for those who perceive initial problems.

FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORTS

This workshop provides parents and professionals with information on how to conduct the functional behavior assessment required under IDEA, and how to develop and implement positive behavior support plans for individual children with challenging and/or violent behavior.

EFFECTIVE DISCIPLINE PRACTICES FOR FAMILIES

This workshop provides parents with tools for effective, consistent discipline at home.

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