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Sandy Hook Promise presents on-line instruments to forestall youth violence

Sandy Hook Promise offers online tools to prevent youth violence

Sandy Hook Promise provides tools to help students who live in their homes and are at risk of domestic violence, emotional abuse, bullying, and depression during the pandemic

Sandy Hook promise encourages students and parents to take time during the week to prevent youth violence by providing special online tools. This year, the National Youth Violence Prevention Week, from March 30th to April 3rd, 2020, many schools across the country are closing and switching to distance learning, while others continue to teach in person.

"The & # 39; social distancing & # 39; necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 can increase other risks and concerns for young people," said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise and mother by Dylan who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.

“Students living in their homes may be at risk of cyberbullying, suicide, and depression, and cases of domestic violence and emotional abuse can increase. Physical distance must not lead to social isolation – especially not for young people who often rely on peers and teachers to get support. "

The Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), a Sandy Hook Promise initiative, is a founding partner of the National Youth Violence Prevention Week (NYVPW) campaign, which aims to raise awareness of effective strategies to prevent youth violence before this can happen. To address the classroom disruption caused by the pandemic, Sandy Hook Promise has customized its NYVPW promotional kit to include activities that students can take part in virtually.

These online resources are free and provide educators and parents with valuable tools to keep young people occupied and protected while spending more time at home and away from school. Activities are available that are suitable for students of all ages and that enable the entire community to participate – by voluntarily running virtual workshops and creating visual cues in their neighborhood to raise awareness of youth violence and, among other things, to promote social solidarity . The kit includes a list of activities worth a week that make it easy for students, educators and parents to participate.

"Students and parents are figuring out how to deal with this new reality of physical distancing," said Hockley. "By adapting our action kit to community-wide activities, Sandy Hook Promise helps students stay socially engaged while exercising physical distance."

More than 11 million people have been trained in Sandy Hook Promise's proven Know the Signs programs. Through these programs, Sandy Hook Promise has averted several school shootings, teen suicides, and countless other acts of violence in schools.