After School Programs

Overview

Healthy relationships play a key role in keeping children safe from online enticement, sextortion, and human trafficking. Once students go home, we don’t know the type of relationship they have with their family. While we hope it is a positive and supportive one, it is important for schools to create strong bonds with students so they feel comfortable coming to faculty if they are in trouble. Not only should the after-school programs include creating strong and healthy relationships with students, but it should also incorporate information on healthy relationships and what they look like. Students that are highly vulnerable or considered at-risk should also be encouraged to attend the after-school program.


Steps to Create an After School Program

  • The after-school program should be scheduled to take place one day a week for the entire school year or two days a week for half the school year.
  • Recruit an adult who has a passion for helping students to develop healthy relationships. We recommend this faculty member take the SOAR Human Trafficking Training, which can be found on the K-12 Page under Faculty Training.
  • Develop role playing activities to compare healthy relationships vs. unhealthy relationships.
  • Activities for the club should include the following characteristics of healthy relationships: creating personal schedules and holding themselves accountable, prioritizing their personal goals, learning how to manage stress, incorporating mindfulness into their daily routines, creating healthy habits, prioritizing physical exercise for mental and physical health, and instilling positive personality traits (i.e. respect, honesty, compromise, fairness, self-confidence, good communication skills and problem solving skills).

Lesson Plans

The Dibble Institute is a national nonprofit that aims to equip young people with skills to navigate intimate relationships and promote healthy relationship dynamics, both romantic and familial. Building a solid foundation to cultivate healthy relationships is their goal. They have several lesson plans that are ideal to be implemented into an after school program focused on healthy relationships.
All of the material below was created and owned by The Dibble Institute.

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