POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Date: Wednesday, August 19th
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Cost: Free
Presenter/s: Lisa Hansen and Jessica Rzepecki
Suggested Audience: Super Intendents, Principals, K-12 teachers, Counselors
A discussion on implementing the eight key Department of Health & Human Services Positive Youth Development standards.
- Physical and psychological safety: A program provides safe facilities and encourages health-promoting practices that increase safe peer group interaction and decrease unsafe or confrontational peer interactions.
- Appropriate structure: A program provides clear and consistent rules and expectations, and age-appropriate monitoring.
- Supportive relationships: A program fosters caring relationships with adults and peers, social support, and positive communication, and provides supportive guidance.
- Opportunities to belong: A program provides opportunities for meaningful inclusion of all youth, opportunities for positive identity formation, and support for cultural and bicultural competence.
- Positive social norms: A program encourages behaviors and values that promote respect (including clearly communicated expectations).
- Support for efficacy and mentoring (opportunities to make a difference): A program provides support for youth autonomy and leadership and encourages youth to achieve meaningful change in their community.
- Opportunities for skill-building: A program provides opportunities for adolescents to learn physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional, and social skills that prepare them to make positive and informed decisions that affect their health, educational and career opportunities, and other aspects of their lives.
- Integration of family, school, and community efforts: A program emphasizes coordination and collaboration with family, school, and community partners.
Lisa Hansen believes there is a hidden pandemic destroying our youth. She is convinced that startling surge in suicide of youth and young adults is linked to the current child exploitation epidemic. She faced her own dilemma as she was stuck in anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts due to her childhood trauma of sexual abuse, sex trafficking and domestic abuse. She is the Education Director for Sold No More and primary author of the, Power Over Predators program, addressing sexual abuse, exploitation, child sex trafficking, Internet safety, sexting & sextortion, cyberbullying, pornography, suicide prevention and safe, supportive relationships. Power Over Predators is being used nationally to teach children how to protect themselves from abuse and give them hope for a free and healthy future.
Jessica Rzepecki has been an adolescent educator in Pima County since 2011, working as a middle school classroom teacher, site technology coordinator, and at-risk youth program coordinator. She holds a BAE History from the University of Arizona, MA Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University, and is currently pursuing a PhD Psychology with an emphasis in integrating technology, learning, and psychology. Jessica is currently the Instructional Designer for the Power Over Predators program, used nationally to educate youth about abuse and exploitation and empower them to build a free and healthy future
