Start First

For the last ten years, FamilyAbuseCenter has provided violence prevention education in the central Texas area. Since January, we’ve served over 300 children ranging in ages from 4 to 19 years old. Of the students who graduated our program, 85% could identify conflict resolution skills that helped them respond to violence in healthy ways.

The Start First Program lasts approximately six weeks and a typical session is an hour long. It involves a short teaching session, hands on educational activities and discussion led by master’s level social workers. In addition, The Start First Program offers free and confidential crisis intervention and individual counseling to at-risk children based on referrals from teachers, administrators, and/ or counselors.

Why do we need a prevention program?

• 8% of Texans arrested for illegal possession or carrying a firearm were 16 or under.
• Juveniles accounted for 11% of Texas arrests for forcible rape in 2006
• March 2006- Baylor University temporarily removes student teachers from Waco High due to high rate of violence
• 2007- the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 121 requiring school districts to adopt and implement dating violence policies
• 2006- 3,396 people in the 7 counties served by the Family Abuse Center were victims of domestic violence.

Role of Start First

The Family Abuse Center’s Start First program has a unique role in the community.  We are:

• Tied to a reputable agency that specializes in responding to violence
• Collaborating with a variety of agencies allows Start First to provide violence prevention education to children and youth throughout the Heart of Texas area
• There is no other agency geared toward violence prevention capable of providing services to such a broad area.  Start First has provided groups in Waco and the surrounding areas and have been as far as:
  • Coolidge
  • La Vega
  • Connally
  • Marlin

Start First’s program goals are to:

• Prevent and reduce the episodes of violence in schools and families through the implementation of a comprehensive anti-violence curriculum
• Measured through an increased knowledge of:
  • Positive communication skills
  • Anger management skills
  • Conflict resolution skills
  • Positive means to respond to bullying
  • Understanding how to report sexual harassment
  • Awareness of stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and racism
     

Start First Program Plan:

6 session (or week) curriculum

– 1 hour per session
– Curriculum age-specific for grades k-12
– Progress measured through pre and post tests
– Referral mechanisms for free intervention counseling for children presenting with need
– All services are offered free of charge

Collaboration – Start First worked with 19 locations in 2007-2008

– North Waco Elem- CIS
– Provident Heights Elem- CIS
– Cedar Ridge Elem- Camp Fire
– Carver Academy MS- CIS
– Coolidge JH & HS- School Counselor
– Kendrick Elem- Counselor
– South Waco Elem- CIS
– Lair Air MS- CIS
– La Vega Interm- CIS
– Kids and Company- Daycare
– Cesar Chavez MS- Counselor
– Tennyson MS- CIS
– Brazos MS- CIS
– Connally HS- counselor
– University HS- CIS

Success Examples:

– K-2nd grade reported a 60% increase in understanding of bullying
– 3-5th grade reported 55% increase in conflict resolution knowledge
– 6-12th grade- 95% (up from 85%) demonstrated competency in the causes of violence

Our Feedback

“Start First is a great asset and I would love to continue to have it on our campus”
 
“It gave the students the opportunity to express their frustrations in an acceptable manner”
 
“I believe the students will use the information to help them in the future, and I would like to have the Start First back to work with the 3rd through 5th graders”
 
“It’s presented in a way that engages the kids, keeps them interested”
 
“The kids really enjoyed it, and other kids who weren’t in the group always asked to join.”
 
“Keep up the good work. Good job. Thank you.”

 
For more information about the Start First Program, please call 254-772-8999 and ask for Taryn Daniels, ext. 2238 or Sheena Smith, ext. 2241