What is the RAP Program?

The RAP Program is a violence prevention program of the Family Violence Law Center that has been educating youth on the dynamics of domestic and dating violence since 1996. The Relationship Abuse Prevention (RAP) Program strives to end violence by using a comprehensive multi-faceted approach to education that serves youth at various developmental stages. Since 1996, RAP has taught over 12,000 Alameda County students to date!

RAP’s approach to education was born out of the belief that violence can be prevented if youth are given the tools they need to lead a healthy lifestyle. For this reason RAP has developed four components aimed at preventing violence by providing youth with the necessary skills to develop healthy relationships.

I. Teaching Component
II. Youth Internship Program
III. Community Training Component
IV. Public Policy Component

I. TEACHING COMPONENT

Dating Violence Curriculum

RAP provides domestic and dating violence awareness through a six session curriculum which is provided to middle and high school aged youth in Alameda County. Through RAP’s dating violence curriculum, students are taught the dynamics of abusive relationships and explore the inter-related nature of violence in the home, in schools, in society and in the media. Youth are taught how to recognize the warning signs of an abusive relationship, how racism and sexism are linked to violent behavior, how to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner and much more!

Contact us to schedule a class session!

T.E.M.P.E.R. (Teaching Emotion Management to Prevent Enraged Reactions) workshops

The TEMPER workshops are two to four session conflict resolution trainings that help youth of all ages deal with their emotions in a healthy manner. The workshops are designed to help youth express their feelings by learning to identify their emotions and the effects of their emotions on themselves and others. The workshops emphasize empathy, forgiveness, and understanding. Through the course of the workshops students are helped to identify physical cues to anger and alternatives to violence.

Contact us to schedule a class session!

Leadership Series

RAP youth leaders are trained through the leadership series (a combination of two 13 week courses and a community project) which is currently provided at two Oakland High schools (Oasis High School and Street Academy High School). These courses prepare students to be leaders, public speakers, workshop facilitators, community activists, and counselors. While students focus specifically on domestic violence prevention, the skills they will learn while enrolled are ones that can be carried into any other leadership position.

We understand that education is a major component of leadership, for this reason we have included a college readiness component in the series. To that effect, students may be taken on college campus tours and be given assignments that promote college readiness. Furthermore, students that have participated in RAP courses are also welcome to participate in RAP college clinics in which staff assist students with college applications and scholarships.

II. YOUTH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM COMPONENT

The RAP youth internship program is a three step program designed to foster and expand the skills of our youth leaders. Interns are able to build on their skills as they advance through the program. RAP interns are trained to participate in all aspects of the violence prevention program. Interns learn skills varying from office and program management to activities coordination and workshop facilitation. Students learn concrete research, communication, and presentation skills as well. As facilitators they not only educate their peers, but also the community about violence awareness and prevention.

Youth interns also act as advisors to the RAP program by participating in the design and development of program materials used for education and outreach. These materials are used to increase awareness regarding domestic and dating violence in the community. The internship program is an integral part of RAP as we rely on youth input and participation in order to make the program a success.

Contact us if you are interested in becoming a RAP program intern!

III. COMMUNITY TRAINING COMPONENT

As part of its comprehensive response to relationship abuse, and violence in general among adolescents, the RAP program also provides training and technical assistance for:

• Youth serving organizations and schools seeking to develop dating violence prevention programs.
• School educators and staff enabling them to enhance their role as support persons for youth.
• Health care and youth service providers so that their adolescent clients may be more effectively served.
• Parents to increase awareness of the effects domestic violence on youth, as well as the prevalence and severity of adolescent relationship abuse.

Contact us if you are interested in training or technical assistance!

IV. POLICY COMPONENT

Alameda County Teen Dating Violence Task Force (ACTDVTF)

The Family Violence Law Center organized the development of the Alameda County Teen Dating Violence Task Force. Member organizations include: Alameda County Office of Education: Cal Safe Program; Bay Area Women Against Rape; Building Futures with Women and Children; City of Berkeley Department of Public Health; Covenant House Youth Shelter; Dream Catcher Youth Shelter; Family Violence Law Center; First Place for Youth; Leadership Excellence; Manalive/Men Against Violence; Youth Alive!; Youth Justice Initiative; Youth Radio.

Contact us if you would like more information or are interested in joining the ACTDVTF!

Purpose: By using the expertise and knowledge gained from each youth and community organization involved in this effort, we hope to assess the extent of the problem and identify the service gaps for youth involved in violent relationships.
Goals: To develop a comprehensive response plan to address teen dating violence in Alameda County and develop policy and procedural recommendations to be adopted by youth serving organizations through out Alameda County.
Meetings: Task force meets once per month on the second Wednesday of every month.
Youth involvement: Youth are an integral part of the task force as their voice is crucial to the development of policies and procedures that will be accurate and in the best interest of the youth we are serving. For this reason youth are highly involved in discussions and decision making processes of the task force.

School Site Task Forces

RAP youth leaders have formed school site task forces at Oasis and Street Academy High Schools to develop polices and procedures that are specific to each individual school. These policies and response measures will include provisions for: safety procedures, reporting incidents of dating violence to parents and/or law enforcement when appropriate, handling restraining orders on campus, and providing training on teen dating violence to faculty and parents, as appropriate. We have found that the best way to address this issue is to empower youth to lead and inspire their peers to make change. Using the Alameda County Teen Dating Violence Task Force as a model, this innovative strategy will encourage, support and train youth to make positive social change.

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