Children at the elementary school level will now have the opportunity to learn about healthy and respectful relationship skill-building, thanks to Peace Kids, a new pilot program offered by SWOVA (Saltspring Women Opposed to Violence and Abuse).
The non-profit organization has been working to prevent violence of all kinds for nearly 20 years. While it has been successful getting the message to young adults, there was a desire by people in the community to get the message out earlier.
Peace Kids, funded by both the Victoria Foundation and the Salt Spring Foundation, seeks to address bullying and systemic violence occurring with younger students. The course includes skill-building sessions that teach children to seek out peace and avoid conflict at the personal and community level. Facilitators offer students social emotional learning skills to increase personal and collective community health, safety and well-being.
“The program is an investment in our children,” said Lynda Laushway, executive director of the society. “The program gives the younger children the tools they need to develop strong social and emotional skills so that they can make good choices.”
She says the workshops given throughout the school year will be age-appropriate and reflect current issues facing children.
Peace Kids, which is introduced in Grades 4 to 6, is modelled after the society’s award-wining Respectful Relationships education program, which is taught in Grade 7. This school-based program teaches healthy relationship skills as well helping young adults deal with Internet safety, online pornography, sexting and cyber-bullying.
The program has won provincial and national awards, as well as being cited by United Nations Habitat and endorsed by UNICEF Canada.
“Although we have been offering the Respectful Relationships program for the past 15 years, we are constantly striving to keep the subject current, to include current issues such as cyber-bullying,” said Laushway, who received the Attorney General’s Regional Awareness and Promotion Award for outstanding contribution towards crime prevention and community safety in British Columbia.
She said the new program is a good addition and will complement the other program the society offers.
“It will be helpful in forming attitudes in youth. Given the challenges they face these days, children need all the help we can give them.”
