Start Strong Austin and community partners, SafePlace and the Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble, are in full-swing, promoting the importance of healthy teen relationships in the Austin community and beyond.

Start Strong Austin teens recently completed a summer youth employment program, where they received job readiness and youth leadership development training for preventing dating and sexual violence.

They’re also putting their performance and writing skills to good use this summer, through the Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble, a collaboration with the Theatre Action Project (TAP). Teens are creating original performances on teen dating issues, relationship abuse, bullying and more. Click here for videos of the teen thespians in action or visit them on facebook  for regular updates.

Utilizing online materials and video resources created by the Start Strong teen leaders, Start Strong Project Director, Barbara Ball, and Expect Respect Program Director, Barri Rosenbluth, are taking the message about healthy relationships to community leaders and educators in a new way. July 13^th and 14^th, they conducted the teen dating violence training, “Expect Respect: Engaging Schools & Communities in Dating & Sexual Violence Prevention,” at the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office.

And on August 3^rd, Barbara will discuss school environments at the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, Building Healthy Futures III Conference in Richmond, VA with her presentation, “Changing the Whole School for the Better: Expect Respect’s Community Level Primary Prevention Model for Schools.” Details on this workshop can be found here.

For more information about Start Strong Austin visit their website, facebook page or follow them on twitter @StartStrongAustinTX.

Start Strong Austin