Through funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Austin Voices is collaborating with SafePlace on the Northeast Austin Teen Relationships Project, an initiative to bring the community together in promoting healthy relationships. Elements will include educational programs, youth-leadership training, and arts and theater based programs in the community. Other local collaborators include the Austin Independent School District (AISD), Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Area, and Seton Family of Hospitals.

The Project is part of a nationally-based four-year initiative, focused on preventing intimate partner violence, Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships. With 11 sites from around the country, the Start Strong initiative will enable communities to create and evaluate comprehensive models of prevention of this serious public health issue. The RWJF is the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans.

Austin Voices' focus in this project is addressing a critical issue on Austin campuses -- creating school climates that are safe and mutually respectful. We know that school climate—from enforcement of discipline policies to strengthening relationships between students and teachers—is critical for safe, healthy relationships among students.

Each of the 11 partnerships will implement a community-wide prevention program targeting 6th to 8th grade youth designed to reduce relationship violence and promote positive relationship skills. These community-based initiatives will simultaneously engage parents, teachers, peers and older teens as well as integrate social marketing and communications strategies to reinforce attitudes that strengthen relationships. The core of the effort is to inspire and empower teens to lead and sustain initiatives that reinforce the importance of building healthy teen relationships.

You can read more about this initiative at www.rwjf.org and in this New York Times article.