violence prevention

While responding to women and children in their efforts to escape their violence is a critical component of our work, the YWCA believes that we must work to prevent the violence from occurring in the first place. We do this in several ways:

• The YWCA Evanston/North Shore began its Violence Prevention Program in 1997 to work towards stopping violence through early intervention.  The pilot program was initiated at Oakton Elementary School in Evanston where students participated in groups during school lunch hours.  Over the years the program has grown dramatically and has been conducted in more than 12 schools since its inception, including two Evanston schools.  Today the program operates in 9 elementary schools and is an integral part of the curriculum.  The structured curriculum focuses on conflict resolution, making healthy choices, managing anger, and understanding gender roles and relationships.  Last year 8,600 children participated.
• Expanding our prevention efforts to reach older youth, the YWCA is now working to implement violence prevention groups with middle and high school youth.  Working in collaboration with Y.O.U. and Family Focus, two community organizations focusing on these age groups, we now conduct structured groups to address violence prevention issues.

The YWCA Evanston/North Shore is committed to not only remaining steadfast in its provision of the current Violence Prevention Program, but has developed a new component for older youth and teens that focuses on their foray into intimate relationships and how power, control and violence can play a role in that arena. This new program, Building Healthy Relationships, provides information and support that helps teenagers as they embark on intimate partner relationships—establishing healthy patterns and addressing potential areas of conflict before real, long-term issues develop. 

To include Violence Prevention or Building Healthy Relationships services in your school or community organization, please contact our Program Director at 847-864-8445 ext. 12.

Programa de Prevención de Violencia: Enfocado en parar el ciclo de abuso con intervención temprana, nosotros operamos un cúrriculum en las escuelas primarias, grupos de prevención para secundarias, y grupos adicionales para organizaciones en la comunidad sirviendo a los jóvenes.

Utilizando un programa estructurado y proceso de grupo, nuestra coordinadora de prevención se enfoca en construir la habilidad para resolver problemas, tomar decisiones sanas, manejar coraje, comprender roles de género y relaciones.