Creating a Safe Climate in a Youth Agency by Recognizing Signs and Symptoms Which Lead to Aggressive Behavior and Acts of Violence.

N

115

Adolescent Behavior; Adolescents; Aggression; Children; Elementary Secondary Education; Prevention; Program Descriptions; Program Effectiveness; Verbal Abuse; Violence; Youth Clubs; Youth Problems

The causes and symptoms of violence among children and adolescents can be complex and difficult to control. A strategy that was designed to help one youth center's staff, volunteers, and members recognize the signs and symptoms of verbal and physical violence is described here. The youth facility is located in a crime-ridden part of an urban community. The club's atmosphere had been darkened by a high number of violent acts (averaging three a day). As a first step, incidents were documented and precipitating factors for the violence were explored. A program was then implemented, which included all the stakeholders in the facility, to reduce the frequency of verbal and physical violence. The program objectives included the following: reduce aggressive behavior; provide training opportunities for staff, volunteers, and members in conflict mediation; hire more part-time staff; organize a youth panel; utilize parents and others to serve as mentors. Most of the objectives were met and the number of violent incidents declined. The increased safety of the facility led to an expanded membership, as well as an increase in volunteers from the professional fields. Fourteen appendices provide some of the forms used in this intervention. Contains 34 references. (RJM)

1998

ED412457