Developing a Strategic and Coordinated Approach to Violence Prevention Programming for Children and Youth in Calgary
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Shift – Research in Brief January 2011 Developing a Strategic and Coordinated Approach to Violence Prevention Programming for Children and Youth in Calgary Phase One: Best and Promising Practices and Program Scan JUNE 2012 JANUARY 2013 Contributors Principle Investigator Lana Wells, Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence, in the Faculty of Social Work, at the University of Calgary [email protected] Research Team Members Caroline Claussen, Lead Researcher Rida Abboud, Researcher Monica Pauls, Researcher Suggested Citation Wells, L., Claussen, C., Abboud, R., & Pauls, M. (2012). Developing a strategic and coordinated community approach to violence prevention programming for children and youth in Calgary: Phase one: best and promising practices and program scan. Calgary, AB: The University of Calgary, Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence. Acknowledgements Shift would like to thank all of the participants who made this research possible: Antyx, Awo Taan Healing Lodge Society, Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse, Calgary Counselling Centre, The Calgary Chinese Community Service Association, Calgary Family Services Society, The Calgary Sexual Health Centre, Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, The Canadian Red Cross Society, Southern Alberta Region, Catholic Family Service, Ethno- Cultural Council of Calgary, Hull Homes, McMan Youth Family and Community Services, Woods Homes and YWCA of Calgary. We would like to acknowledge The City of Calgary Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and United Way of Calgary and Area for their support on this project. 2 Table of Contents Contributors ........................................................................................................................ 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 3 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Project Overview ....................................................................................................... 6 2.0 Methods ..................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Internet Searches ................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Key Informant Interviews .......................................................................................... 8 2.2.1 Sampling ............................................................................................................. 8 2.2.2 Recruitment ....................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Data Collection and Analysis .............................................................................. 9 2.3 Review of the Literature ...................................................................................... 10 2.4 Research Scope and Limitations .......................................................................... 11 3.0 Best and Promising Practices in Violence Prevention Programming for Children and Youth ................................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 What is Prevention and Where Does it Occur? ...................................................... 13 3.2 Principles of Effective Violence Prevention Programs ............................................ 14 3.2.1 School-based Violence Prevention Programming ........................................... 17 3.2.2 Community-based Violence Prevention Programming ................................... 18 3.3 Best and Promising Practices in Violence Prevention Programming ..................... 19 3.3.1 Bullying ............................................................................................................. 19 3.3.2 Sexual Abuse .................................................................................................... 20 3.3.3 Dating Violence ................................................................................................ 21 3.3.4 Sexual Assault of Youth .................................................................................... 22 3.3.5 Sexual Harassment ........................................................................................... 23 4.0 Coordinated Approaches to School-Based Violence Prevention Programming ......... 24 4.1 Examples of Efforts from Other Jurisdictions ......................................................... 25 5.0 Findings: Program Scan and Interviews ...................................................................... 27 5.1.1 Resource Distribution ...................................................................................... 27 3 5.1.2 Funder Distribution .......................................................................................... 30 5.1.3 Program Content .............................................................................................. 30 5.1.4 Best Practice Principles .................................................................................... 33 5.2 Community-based Programs: Universal and Targeted ........................................... 37 5.2.1 Resource Distribution ...................................................................................... 37 5.2.2 Program Content .............................................................................................. 38 6.0 Challenges and Opportunities: An Exploration of the Themes .................................. 39 6.1 Challenges in Providing Violence Prevention Programming .................................. 40 6.1.1 Coordination and Consistency with Schools .................................................... 40 6.1.2 Working with Diverse Children and Youth....................................................... 41 6.1.3 Working with Hard to Reach Youth (Youth not in School) .............................. 41 6.1.4 Program Resourcing ......................................................................................... 41 6.2 Benefits to a Strategic Coordinated Approach to Violence Prevention Programming................................................................................................................. 42 6.2.1 Enhanced coordination for a more targeted approach to school based violence prevention programming ........................................................................... 42 7.0 Discussion of Findings ................................................................................................. 43 8.0 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 44 9.0 References .................................................................................................................. 47 Appendix A: Glossary ........................................................................................................ 53 Prevention Definitions .................................................................................................. 53 Violence Definitions ...................................................................................................... 53 Appendix B: CBE Areas and Communities ........................................................................ 55 Appendix C: Agency, Program and Description ................................................................ 58 Appendix D: School Listing ................................................................................................ 68 Appendix E: Interview Questions ...................................................................................... 70 4 1.0 Introduction Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence was initiated by the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence, in the Faculty of Social Work, at the University of Calgary. Shift is aimed at significantly reducing domestic violence in Alberta using a primary prevention approach to stop first-time victimization and perpetration. In short, primary prevention means taking action to build resilience and prevent problems before they occur. The purpose of Shift is to enhance the capacity of policy makers, systems leaders, clinicians, service providers and the community at large, to significantly reduce the rates of domestic violence in Alberta. We are committed to making our research accessible and working collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders, to inform and influence current and future domestic violence prevention efforts, through the perspective of primary prevention. In 2010, Shift conducted a comprehensive scan of evidence-based domestic violence prevention programs. Through this scan, the Fourth R (Relationship) program was identified as a best practice. The Fourth R is a dating violence prevention program, focused on teaching healthy relationship and social skills, along with alternatives to violence, such as conflict resolution skills to youth in school (Crooks, Wolfe, Hughes, Jaffe & Chiodo, 2008). At the same time as Shift was conducting the scan of evidence-based domestic violence prevention programs, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) was implementing the Fourth R program in 40 schools across the city. As this program was identified as an evidence-based prevention program, Shift worked closely with the