Elementary students that participated in the Safeteen program created their own hot line cards for the Kids Help Phone. (Image contributed)

Elementary students in School District 53 have learned a new set of skills for preventing violence.

Safeteen, a skill-based violence prevention program, has been offered at secondary schools in the district for years, but this is the first time it’s presented to younger students as well.

In December, all Grade 7 students in the district participated in Safeteen’s pre-teen programing, including those at Oliver Elementary School, Tuc-el-Nuit Elementary School and Osoyoos Elementary School. In Osoyoos, the program included Grade 6 students as well.

The program focusses on helping students learn how to use their voice to stand up to others and prevent violence, instead of resorting to physical contact.

Tina Lovett, district counsellor and behaviour specialist, along with other counsellors in the district, decided to include the program in elementary schools in Oliver, Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls after getting feedback from those involved at the secondary level, and seeing how the program aligned with requirements from the Ministry of Education.

“It gave the kids a voice; it taught them that their voice was important in these situations,” Lovett said.

Lovett explained that one of the reasons it was decided to provide the program for elementary students was so they learned skills that might be needed as they enter secondary school

“The whole focus is supporting kids to learn about some of the topics they’re going to be dealing with and how to cope, and strategies on how to be aware and how to handle them in a proactive way.”

The program is a one-time session that ran roughly three hours long, and students were split into groups based on the gender they identify as.

Afterwards, students wrote evaluations on the program.

“This program helped a lot with letting me know how to protect myself and talk to people about what they’re doing that’s wrong without using violence,” one student wrote.

“I felt like I was able to open up. It made me realize that my voice really does matter, and it helped me learn how to be assertive,” another said.

Students also created hotline cards, which included contact information for the Kids Help Phone.

The Safeteen program is offered to students annually.

VANESSA BROADBENT

Regional Reporter