Teen Violence Prevention Group

CleanSlate/SCCC

 The TVPG meets every Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM here at the Center. The group started back in February to address the needs of youth who were just beginning to become part of the system of punishment and punitive reactions to normal adolescent “acting out.”

 These kids were for the most part sentenced to community service for curfew and truancy. They were sent here to perform labor of some type. What I decided to do with them was to give them something that will have a long lasting positive impact on their lives, a non judgmental place to express their feelings, worries, joys and heartache. As teens they are often labeled as having poor judgment, lack of control and no direction. What the system fails to understand is that teens are facing some of the toughest decisions in their lives. Parents acting out of fear often shut kids down by yelling and punishing. Listening is not an easy thing to do when you are hearing things that alarm you about your child’s curiosity and dreams that do not coincide with your dreams as a parent.

 Lying, vagueness and secretiveness are results of good teaching by parents who respond with negative words and punishment when the adolescent tells the truth. Many times parents rely on systems (schools, probation, and counselors) to tell them what the child has been up to and don’t ask the child if the reports are being accurate.

 In the teen group we hear the youth’s side of the story and support them in their attempts to stay clear of the system that continues to give reputations and labels to youth who are so much more than what the file states.

 Our topics center on family, school, relationships and violence. Each youth checks in and describes how their week went at home, at school and in their life. Many times issues concerning friends, gangs and drugs are topics that come out of the check in. The members do most of the talking and the therapist is there to keep the group on topic or ask more expansive questions. Group is at no cost to the teen but donations are encouraged from parents unless letters are required for court and if that is the case the sessions are ten dollars. Individual sessions are also ten dollars if that is what is deemed more appropriate.