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The Green Dot Program
In 2009 Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School was chosen to launch the pilot program of the Green Dot Strategy, a comprehensive approach to violence prevention that capitalizes on the power of peer and cultural influence. The Green Dot Program addresses the issues of power-based personal violence. A green dot is any choice, behavior, attitude, or statement that expresses utter intolerance of bullying, sexual assault, dating/partner violence and stalking on-line or in person. This model targets all community members as potential bystanders and seeks to engage them through awareness education and skills practice. It strives to connect students to these issue of violence prevention and helps them to believe that they play a necessary part in addressing it.
Specifically, the program targets socially influential individuals from across school community subgroups among the student population. The goal is to engage these students in a basic education program that will equip them to integrate moments of prevention within existing relationships and daily activities. By doing so, new positive norms will be introduced to those within their sphere of influence resulting in a comprehensive reduction of violence for the entire high school.
At Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School the Green Dot training is incorporated into the Freshman class. Students have the opportunity to learn about potentially serious situations that could harm them, a love one or a perfect stranger. Throughout the training students identify their personal barriers and develop skills that help them to over come these barriers.
The Green Dot Program is interactive, reflective and skill building. We have already experienced less fighting and more students seeking help for themselves or a peer. Awareness education and skills practiced will empower students to use their influence with their peers. Together they will move their community toward increased intolerance for this violence in all of its forms.