Tag Archive for: Education

Education Learning Series 2022

/in , /by

Services + Programs at CASASC (30 min)

Join us for a short 30min session overviewing the programs and services available at CASASC.

– Counselling 

– Police, Community + Court Support 

– Kinship Intervention Program (KIP) 

– 24/7 Sexual Violence Help Line 

– Prevention Education, school presentations for K-12 

Free, Register here

Upcoming dates:

Monday, Dec 5 – 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. MST

 

Introduction to Sexual Violence (60 min)

Do you want to enhance your knowledge around sexual violence education? Join us as we present an Introduction to Sexual Violence. This presentation is a public awareness and education presentation that introduces, and highlights, definitions and concepts related to sexual violence. We will discuss dispelling myths and stereotypes, talk about victim blaming, the realities of sexual violence, and a brief understanding of supporting disclosures. 

Free, Register here

Upcoming dates:

Tuesday, Dec 6 – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. MST

 

Consent 101 (60 min)

Join us as we overview basics about Consent and Consent to Sexual Activity, key focus on Consent conversations as it relates to our youth and young people. This program can help you talk about consent with youth and can also help us understand the role of consent in healthy relationships. Definitions, laws + ages of consent, sexting and healthy intimate partner relationships will be some of the information covered. 

Free, Register here

Upcoming dates:

Tuesday, Nov 29 – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. MST

Tuesday, Dec 20 – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. MST

Tuesday, Dec 20 – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. MST

 

Supporting Disclosures – (45 min)

This session will help to enhance our skills and knowledge around supporting disclosures of sexual violence. An overview of the fundamentals of responding to and supporting disclosure of sexual assault and abuse from children, youth and adults. Learn some key messages and legal obligations when it comes to reporting child abuse.

Free, Register here

Upcoming dates: 

Monday, Nov 21 – 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. MST

Monday, Dec 12 – 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. MST

The power of words in teen dating relationships

/in , /by

By Kailee Mears

With Valentine’s Day and Family Day behind us, we can reflect on how these holidays bring people closer together. Family Day is a day off for many to spend time with family. Valentine’s Day has grown into a day to celebrate love in many forms, including couples or friends.

What you may not have known is that the month of February was also Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM). TDVAM is meant to raise awareness of the different types of violence teenagers can experience within a dating relationship.

Statistics show that young people between the ages of 15 to 24 have the highest risk of experiencing dating violence.

Dating violence can involve physical abuse like hitting, slapping, pushing or kicking. It can also involve a type of violence called emotional violence.

Emotional violence is the use of words to hurt, intimidate, embarrass or harass a person. It is the most common type of dating violence and often comes before other types of violence. One study suggested that up to 62 per cent of 12 to 18 year old’s have experienced emotional violence while in a dating relationship.

While it may be easy to see the results of physical violence through injuries, it can be difficult to see how words can affect a person emotionally.

As youth grow up, one can expect to hear some version of “don’t let words get the better of you.” While it is important for youth to learn to become resilient, it is important for both youth and adults to recognize when a person’s words are truly harmful, especially when it comes to dating relationships.

One of the first steps you can take is to pay attention when someone is speaking and how their tone makes the youth and those around them, including yourself, feel.

Hearing something like “Why don’t you just shut up?” can make a person feel very small, scared and uncomfortable. Hearing “Oh come on. Everyone is doing it. Just try it once,” could have the effect like they are being pressured into doing something they don’t want to do.

Or even “Why didn’t you text me back? I texted you a lot. What were you doing? Who were you with?” can feel like being controlled by the person saying it – that we cannot do anything without replying to a text message right away or face some sort of punishment. Being independent in a relationship is important. We need to have time to ourselves and with others to maintain our relationships.

If you overhear something that makes you feel off or uncomfortable from the dating partner of a friend, co-worker or youth in your family, it is important to check in with that person. By asking that friend/co-worker/youth how they felt during that conversation and pointing out how you felt may make the youth more aware of how they may have been treated with disrespect. It could give the person a chance to reach out for help if they are uncomfortable with how their partner is speaking to them.

Words can be powerful. It is important for youth and adults to know that they deserve to be spoken to with respect, love and dignity, especially when it comes from a dating partner. If something does not sound right or makes someone feel scared, it is important to say something and seek help.

Kailee Mears is a prevention educator at the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre.

Article as published in the Red Deer Advocate on March 1, 2022

 

Now Hiring Educator (Casual)

/in , /by

CASASC is seeking to fill the position of Educator – Casual

 

The job details are as below:

Position: Educator

Reports to: Education Program and Community Relations Manager

Number of positions: 1

Job Type: Casual

Location: Red Deer, AB & occasional daily travel to schools within Central Alberta

Hours per week: As and when required.

Hourly rate: Determined based on education and experience

Anticipated Start Date: ASAP

 

Position Summary

Reporting to the Education Program & Community Relations Manager, the Educator is an integral part of the Education team, responsible to support CASASC’s goal to increase the personal safety awareness through education and empowering them to prevent sexual violence.

Based on CASASC’s mission and vision, the Educator acts as a liaison between CASASC, Community, Schools, and Organizations, focusing on delivering education programs to create awareness and prevention strategies among K-12 students, adults, parents, professionals, and other individuals of the community.

The Educators are also expected to represent CASASC in a professional manner, work according to the missions and vision of CASASC and build community relations including (but not limited to) conducting community visits, attending meetings, staffing booths, and events organized by partner agencies and other organizations within Central Alberta.

The Educator is expected to have full knowledge of, and to follow the Philosophy, the Guidelines for Personnel Policies & Practices, and the Policies & Procedures of the CASASC while upholding our mission, vision, and values.

 

Qualifications and skills:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Education with 1-2 years of related experience. A combination of education and experience may also be considered for the position.
  • Must have knowledge and understanding of sexual violence prevention and intervention strategies. Experience of working in a non-profit would be considered as an asset.
  • Must have excellent communication, interpersonal, and public speaking skills.
  • Experience of working in, facilitating, or teaching in a classroom and/or group settings.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English is essential.
  • Ability to work as a collaborative team member as well as an independent key player with minimum supervision.
  • Ability to build rapport with children and youth from Kindergarten to Grade 12
  • Ability to relate to adults and professionals for the successful delivery of education and awareness information
  • Superior time management skills, and the ability to prioritize tasks with minimal supervision
  • Proficient using computers and presentation equipment (incl. basic troubleshooting) of virtual and presentation platforms (zoom, google meet, projector, and sound setup)
  • Proficient in Windows, MS-Office, Internet, email & social media is essential.
  • Availability to work occasional evenings/weekends for special events, be able to travel within Central Alberta to fulfil job responsibilities.
  • Should have professional, responsive, and positive work attitude
  • Must be able to submit a clear Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening.
  • A valid Driver’s License with a satisfactory Driver’s abstract is essential.
  • Should be able to fulfil the physical demands of the job such as the ability to lift at least 20lbs, climbing the stairs while carrying supplies, above-shoulder lifting, overhead reaching, frequent use of office equipment, sitting for longer periods and other relevant physical tasks.

 

Responsibilities:

  • Plan, prepare and deliver all CASASC education programs by providing interactive and dynamic presentations, and education material by using age-appropriate methods and activities, either in-person or virtual; in schools and communities throughout the CASASC service region.
  • Design and deliver tailored education programs as/if requested by the schools, community and/or other agencies within CASASC’s service region.
  • Participate in community public education forums and/or events to promote the awareness of sexual violence issues & CASASC services. (Attending interagency meeting, staffing booths and events, conducting community visits)
  • Update education programs statistics in the tracking program and submit monthly/quarterly/annual reports to facilitate grants and internal requirements.
  • Conduct regular research and keep education programs’ content up-to-date related to CASASC’s prevention education such as (but not limited to) sexual violence, teen dating, consent, healthy relationships, and any other program that supports CASASC’s mission and vision.
  • Ensure that Education department’s events and programs are posted on CASASC’s social media platforms by submitting relevant and timely information to the Education Program and Community Relations Manager. In the absence of the Manager, work in direct collaboration with the Communications Manager to ensure the same.
  • Keep the schools and community contact list up-to-date. Stay in regular contact with the schools and community through different mediums to ensure the regular delivery of education programs to the target audience.
  • Communicate with internal departments of the organization and share departmental updates on regular basis.
  • Connect with newly hired employees of the organization and briefly introduce them to the operations of Education Department.
  • Design tailored education programs to cater the needs of diverse community including the Indigenous Communities.

 

Team Responsibilities/Staff Development:

  • Adheres to the values and guiding principles, policies, and procedures of CASASC and supports the strategic direction of the organization.
  • Participates in staff meetings and offered trainings.
  • Acts as a responsible team member by demonstrating initiative, completing work duties, and by maintaining clear, direct, and respectful communication with everyone in the work environment.
  • Proactively stays current with best and emerging practices in the field. Participates regularly in the staff development activities according to a learning and development plan identified through supervision and the on-going performance review process.
  • Provides back-up coverage to CASASC as required in response to the needs and priorities of the organization which includes other duties as and when assigned.

 

Organizational Responsibilities: 

  • Maintains agency confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
  • Represents CASASC in a professional manner.
  • Maintains on-going positive public relations with external agencies, groups, and individuals (if required).
  • Uses appropriate mechanisms for resolving internal agency problems.
  • Maintain professional relationship with internal and external stakeholders.

How to Apply:

CASASC is an equal opportunity employer, and we value the importance of diversity, dignity, and worth of every individual in the workplace.

Email your resume and cover letter to education@casasc.ca by Dec 21, 2021. Mention the position in the subject line.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

Application deadline: Ongoing

iRespect Learning Series – Consent 101

/in , /by

Join us as we learn the basics about consent and consent to sexual activity. Find sessions targeted for youth (in Grades 7-12), adults/parents and the general public. Our targeted session we will explore the basics to consent and consent to sexual activity as it relates to youth. Definitions, laws & ages of consent, sexting and healthy intimate partner relationships.

The CASASC education team will be hosting five virtual presentations via Zoom throughout the months of August and September. Each session is 60 minutes long and is offered free-of-charge.

August Dates:

For adults/parents: To register to the August 10 – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

For teens (Grades 7-12): To register to the August 10 – 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

General public: To register to the August 10 – 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

September Dates:

General public: To register to the September 14 – 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

For adults/parents: To register to the September 14 – 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

iRespect Learning Series – Intro to Sexual Violence

/in , /by

Want to enhance your sexual violence education?

The CASASC education team will be hosting three virtual presentations via Zoom in August and September. Each session is 90 minutes long and is offered free-of-charge.

The Intro to Sexual Violence presentation is a public awareness and education presentation that introduces and highlights definitions and concepts related to sexual violence. It provides an overview as well as disclosure support.

During the presentations we will discuss:

  • Sexual violence terms and definitions
  • Myths and facts about sexual violence
  • Dispelling victim blaming
  • Supporting disclosures

August Dates:

To register to the August 16 – 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

To register to the August 17 – 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

September Date:

To register to the September 20 – 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

iRespect Learning Series – Services + Programs at CASASC

/in , /by

Curious about what services CASASC offers?

The CASASC education team will be hosting six virtual presentations via Zoom throughout the months of August and September. Each session is 30 minutes long and is offered free-of-charge.

The Services + Programs at CASASC presentation is a public awareness and education presentation that provides an overview of our agency. Receive a birds-eye view of all of the services and programs available at CASASC including education, prevention, intervention, clinical and the 24 hours help line. Learn about who we serve and what our service area is.

August Dates:

To register to the August 9 – 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

To register to the August 9 – 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

To register to the August 9 – 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

September Dates:

To register to the September 10 – 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

To register to the September 10 – 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

To register to the September 10 – 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. session, visit the Eventbrite page here

iRespect Learning Series – CASASC Services + Intro to Sexual Violence

/in , /by

Curious about what services CASASC offers? Want to enhance your sexual violence education?

The CASASC education team will be hosting two virtual presentations via Zoom, on May 13 at 10:30 a.m. and May 19 at 1 p.m. Each session is 90 minutes long and is offered free-of-charge.

The Services + Intro to Sexual Violence presentation is a public awareness and education presentation that introduces and highlights definitions and concepts related to sexual violence. It provides an overview as well as disclosure support and of course, a birds-eye view of all services and programs available at CASASC.

During the presentations we will discuss:

  • Sexual violence terms and definitions
  • Myths and facts about sexual violence
  • Dispelling victim blaming
  • Supporting disclosures
  • CASASC service overview

To register to the May 13 session, visit the Eventbrite page here

To register to the May 19 session, visits the Eventbrite page here

This event is part of CASASC’s Respect Month – a month-long awareness campaign that acknowledges Sexual Violence Awareness Month through the concept of respect.

Five tips to keep your children safe online

/in , /by

The following has some tips for your child’s online safety.

Protect Kids Online is an informative, one-stop website that provides free cyber-safety, education and strategies to parents of kids, teens and preteens. This website offers information about the ever-changing online interests of young people and the potential risks they face. This website effectively categorizes information by content and age.

If you suspect your child could be a victim of luring, sextortion or grooming, you should immediately report your concern to the RCMP and to Cybertip – Canada’s national tip line for reporting child sexual abuse and exploitation on the Internet.

Although located in the United States, The Child Rescue Coalition is an excellent resource that highlights the challenges of keeping children safe on the internet and other digital technologies. This organization provides current and timely information on their Instagram blog posts.

The following are five tips to help keep children and teens safe online:

1)Communicate with your children regularly:

Open, frequent and ongoing communication with your child is essential and should be a top priority regardless of how busy you are. Open communication ensures your children will trust you enough to tell you what’s going in their world.

2) Screen caregivers thoroughly:

Make sure you know who is taking care of your children.

3)Talk about body parts accurately:

This may be uncomfortable, but it is one of the most important tips. When children know the proper names of their body parts, they can properly express to you what has happened to them and you will be clear on what they are talking about. This should be done as soon as children are old enough to understand (i.e. by pre-school age).

4)Encourage boundaries:

Teach your children that their bodies belong to them and it’s okay for them to have boundaries and have their voices heard. If, for example, they do not want to hug or kiss someone, they do not have to.

5)Teach the difference between safe and unsafe secrets and touches:

This is so important that we named our program No Secrets. Ensure children know the difference between a safe secret (like keeping a birthday celebration a secret) and an unsafe secret (like the bus driver asking you to stay behind to go to the candy store and to not telling your parents)and a safe touch (like a touch that make you feel happy, loved and proud. This could be a high five) and an unsafe touch (i.e. a touch that makes you feel uncomfortable, upset and/or disgusting. This could be someone touching a part of your body you ae not comfortable with). Reinforce these regularly with different examples, so your children are able to determine what is safe or unsafe.

If you follow these tips and have regular conversations with your children about body safety and how their body belongs only to them, the risk of sexual abuse is greatly reduced.

Develop your child’s media literacy skills – Internet + Media Mini-edu Session

/in , /by

Today’s lesson, and the final for the Internet + Media series, focuses on media literacy.

Media literacy means being able to see, review and think about the media a person is watching or reading – to understand what the message of the media is. Media is everywhere: TV shows, advertisements, movies, music, video games, magazines and newspapers. Having strong media literacy skills as a child helps to develop the ability to think about what the main message a piece of media is and how the message relates to the child’s world and values.

Consider the following tips to help your child develop media literacy skills:

1)Watch with them

Have a family movie night or tune in with your kids for their Saturday morning cartoons. By watching together, you can see exactly what messages your child is seeing. You can ask questions about what they think they are seeing and how they believe it fits with your family’s values.

2)Let them be the DJ

Let your child pick the radio station or what songs play in the car ride to school. Not only will it give you more of an idea of what kind of music they like, but you can ask questions about what they are listening to. Ask them what the lyrics mean and what the singer is expressing in their song. What does your child like about the song?

3)Encourage them to create their own media

When children are given a chance to create media, they can think more about what goes into the message they are trying to send out. You can guide them to make a magazine, film a short video or create a family TikTok video.

4)Have a conversation about representation

An important skill in media literacy is recognizing who is and who is not represented in a piece of media and how people are portrayed. By asking these questions to your child and having a conversation about representation, it allows for honest conversations about values, diversity and inclusion.

Developing media literacy skills can help strengthen a child’s sense of identity and belonging and have a greater respect for others.

For more information about media literacy, visit mediasmarts.ca for more parent tips about media literacy.

 

 

Prevent cyberbullying through respect – Internet + Media Mini-edu Session

/in , /by

Cyberbullying is a disrespectful act that does not consider another person’s feelings of safety and belonging. Cyberbullying can involve spreading rumors online, posting embarrassing photos and videos without consent, calling people names and creating separate accounts to bully someone. Cyberbullying can happen between people of the same gender, age or popularity. It can happen to anyone at any time.

Prevent Cyberbullying:

When trying to prevent cyberbullying from happening in your home or in your classroom, it is important to consider the following:

1)Teach respect
When respect is the norm for interacting with others online, cyberbullying is less likely to happen or to be tolerated. When children are taught to think before they post, share or comment on something online, harmful words or actions are less likely to happen. Students whose parents set up boundaries and instill values of being respectful online were more than thirty three percent less likely to be rude or mean to others online (1).

2)Teach what is and is not a joke
Bullying, along with cyberbullying, sometimes involves trying to play off harsh words or actions as “it’s a joke.” Joking and teasing can strengthen the relationship between two people (i.e., classmates and friends) and can create positive relationships and humour (2), however, teasing can quickly become bullying. If the other friend or peer is not getting the joke, or says they want the joking to stop, it is important for others to listen and respect their wishes and boundaries.

Help your youth respond to cyberbullying

If your youth comes to you to say they are experiencing cyberbullying or online harassment, it is important to consider the following:

1)Respond Appropriately
Try not to over or underreact to a youth being cyberbullied. Overreacting can harm a youth socially and does not teach them appropriate ways to deal with cyberbullying. Underreacting can lead to the child not feeling supported and could lead to more bullying. Even though cyberbullying happens online, it has real effects on an individual’s emotional, social, academic and physical well-being.

2)Teach to not Fight Back and instead Gather Evidence, Report, Delete or Block. 

When your child is dealing with cyberbullying from strangers or peers, it is important as the adult or parent to follow the steps listed:

  • Encourage your child to not fight back against any harassment or bullying. Not fighting back will make the bullying more likely to stop.
  • When gathering evidence, it is important to record any identifying information (names, usernames, location, contact information, time, date, bullying behaviour, etc.).
  • Next, report the harassment or bullying to the social media or website’s help centre, to the school, or to the police as needed.
  • Finally, delete or block the person as needed (especially if they are a stranger online). Your child or the website’s help centre can show you the steps to do this.

Everyone deserves respect both online and offline. As children explore online for creative, social, and learning reasons, it is important to be aware that cyberbullying can happen, but it can be prevented and dealt with.

For any further questions about cyberbullying, or internet safety, please reach out to the CASASC Edu Team at education@casasc.ca or check out more tips at MediaSmarts.ca.

 

 

 

[1] https://mediasmarts.ca/sites/default/files/guides/ywca-guide-for-trusted-adults.pdf

[2] Lee, A. M. (2020, October 22). The Difference Between Teasing and Bullying. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/common-challenges/bullying/difference-between-teasing-and-bullying