As the school year draws near, parents and educators worldwide are preparing to support their children through yet another transition. Every back-to-school season brings excitement and challenges, but with the right tools and resources, parents and teachers can help children and young people have the skills and confidence they need to navigate any situation.
To aid in these preparations for going back to school, NYSCADV has curated a list of upcoming activities and recommended resources from their Because We're Dads Campaign, available in our Primary Prevention Toolkit. These resources offer valuable support for parents and teachers, enabling them to engage with children, teens, and young adults in discussions about healthy relationship behaviors during various life transitions.
Join NYSCADV on this annual journey as we consider some of the tools and knowledge available to us to engage with parents, educators, and caregivers alike, championing gender equality, consent, and nonviolence in our schools and communities.
With the right resources and a united effort, we can help foster safe, respectful, and inclusive environments for our children - at school and home - and make the back-to-school season a time of growth and positive change.
Upcoming Events:
Back to School Prevention Live Webinar Series
During August, NYSCADV, along with their partners in prevention, the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NYSCASA,) will present a 3 part webinar training series focusing on various strategies for navigating the school season. Sessions within the training series will offer valuable support for prevention educators to engage parents, especially fathers and father figures and teachers, enabling them to engage with children, teens, and young adults in discussions about healthy relationship behaviors across the lifespan and during various life transitions. Click here to learn more.
Resources:
Because We're Dads: Back to School Toolkit Webinar (Recording)
Join NYSCADV's webinar, where prevention educators will explore different approaches for engaging parents. Emphasizing the role of dads and male-identified caregivers, this webinar introduces valuable resources like the updated Back to School Toolkit and Conversation Starters. These resources aim to guide parents in discussing healthy relationships with their children.
Because We're Dads: Back to School Toolkit
The Back to School Toolkit from Because We're Dads equips fathers with the confidence, capacity, and comfort needed to engage in critical conversations with their children. This toolkit focuses on supporting children through transitions while promoting gender equality. Additionally, it addresses current events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide uprising against systemic racism, police brutality, and racial inequity. The resources acknowledge how these dynamics impact youth in and out of school, emphasizing fathers' role in discussing these issues.
Parent Engagement Conversation Starters in Prevention Education
These Conversation Starters serve as useful outreach and educational tools for prevention educators in various formats, including website content, social media posts, PowerPoint presentations, and physical handouts. Designed as prompts, they encourage parents and caregivers to initiate open conversations about healthy and unhealthy aspects of dating. The Conversation Starters explore concepts of respectful flirting, consent, and equitable relationships while addressing topics like dating abuse, coercion, and cyberstalking.
Conversation Starters for Kids - Global Boyhood Initiative
These Conversation Starters aim to open up conversations between kids and parents. Informed by research, they are specifically designed to help kids, and boys in particular, to learn to share emotions in healthy ways; accept and connect with others; stand up and speak out against bullying; and break free from stereotypes. Choose from cards designed for 4-6 year olds, 7-9 and 10 –13. Visit the Global Boyhood Initiative home page to learn more about their work.
The State of America's Boys: An Urgent Case for a More Connected Boyhood A Report for the Global Boyhood Initiative
This important report seeks to provide an overview of the state of boys in the United States, looking at both the challenges facing them and the promise of their futures. The report discusses boyhood in an ecological context, examining the relationships, communities, and larger social norms that shape their lives. Each section concludes with key recommendations to support sons, alongside efforts to support girls, so they have a real shot at reaching their full human potential.
About NYSCADV's Because We're Dads Campaign
NYSCADV acknowledges the significant impact fathers and father figures have on promoting women's rights, gender equality, and healthy relationships. The Because We're Dads campaign, initiated in 2019 as part of NYSCADV's Primary Prevention Toolkit, aims to engage and mobilize fathers to support gender equality. It offers a collection of resources, webinars, articles, and promising practices for parents, prevention educators, and teachers. While the campaign supports all parents and caregivers, it specifically provides targeted assistance to dads and male caregivers. Click here to view the campaign materials.
With the new school year approaching, it is essential to equip parents and educators with the necessary resources to engage in meaningful conversations about healthy relationships. NYSCADV's Because We're Dads Campaign offers a range of valuable resources, including webinars, toolkits, and conversation starters, designed to support parents and teachers in promoting gender equality, consent, and nonviolence. Utilize these resources to foster equitable and respectful relationships grounded in healthy communication among children and youth.
