Using role-plays or scenarios and guided group discussion, the classroom workshops train children and young people to recognize and deal with potentially dangerous situations. The role-plays or scenarios represent the most common assault experiences a child or teen might encounter. CAP emphasizes self-assertion, peer support and communication and reporting skills as prevention strategies. All student workshops are centered on the rights of children and young people to be SAFE, STRONG and FREE.
In all CAP programs, staff and parent workshop always precede children's workshops. This gives the adults in the children's lives an understanding of what CAP will be presenting to their children. The prevention strategies can then also be supported and reinforced in the home and in the classroom.
All classroom workshops have a follow-up session, known as 'review time'. Review time is a basic part of every CAP curriculum. It is a time offered to the students to individually review the strategies with the CAP facilitators.
| CAP has curricula for the following classroom workshops: |
| PRESCHOOL WORKSHOPS
As the young child is at high risk for victimization, the CAP preschool program sets a strong foundation for ongoing prevention education in each preschooler's life. Program evaluation has determined that the young child does retain personal safety information, and these strategies provide the setting for ongoing self-esteem building and prevention education.
Preschool CAP is designed for 3 to 5 year old children and takes about 25 minutes a day over three consecutive days. Specially trained facilitators present children's rights and personal safety issues through the use of pictures, dolls, songs and role-plays. Role-plays deal with aggression from a bully, a stranger and a known adult. Children participate in the highly interactive format and respond positively to the developmentally appropriate and sensitive curriculum. Each day's workshop is followed by individual review time in the classroom.
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KINDERGARTEN
Kindergarten Cap Curriculum description - (pdf)
Kindergarten workshops are given by facilitators in two 45 minute programs on consecutive days. Workshops are held in individual classrooms. On the first day, a discussion of rights, a bully and a stranger roleplay are presented through guided discussion which includes self protection techniques. Learning is reinforced through the use of roleplay and pictures. The second day includes a thorough review, a roleplay involving an assault by a known adult, and a roleplay demonstrating support by a staff member for a child seeking help. Review with individual children follows the program.
FIRST TO SIXTH GRADES
Elementary workshops are one hour classroom workshops facilitated by three CAP leaders. Using roleplays and guided group discussion, the classroom workshop trains children to recognize potentially dangerous situations, and to make effective use of the options available to them when dealing with such a situation. CAP emphasizes self assertion, peer support and communication with a trusted adult as prevention strategies. CAP approaches the question of assault within the framework of basic human rights.
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The opening discussion of "rights" is followed by three roleplays. Each one is followed by discussion. These roleplays represent the most common assault experiences a child might encounter: child against child (the playground bully), adult stranger against child, and assault involving an adult the child knows. The roleplays are used to provide situations from which children can brainstorm successful strategies. Each roleplay is performed twice. First the child is shown as a victim. Then, after a "brainstorming session" the roleplay is redone as a "success story", incorporating positive prevention techniques. Children are given an opportunity to participate in supportive roles to practice positive behavior.
In a final play, the classroom teacher is invited to play her/himself as a supportive adult responding to a child's request for help. This roleplay gives children an opportunity to visualize what would happen if they needed to talk to someone about a problem. It gives a clear message to children that their teachers care and are there to offer support.
Following a brief summary, children are told that CAP leaders will be available for further discussion. We have found that many children seek out workshop leaders to talk about a variety of issues. Emphasis during this review time is primarily reinforcing skills learned during the classroom workshop and strengthening children's belief in their rights to be SAFE, STRONG and FREE.
 TEEN WORKSHOPS
Teens are a high risk population for violence and abuse because they are twice as likely as an adult to be a victim of a violent crime and they are exposed to more violence than any other segment of our population. The TeenCAP program offers strategies to prevent this violence. It is designed for adolescents, and presented by a male and female facilitator in three 40-45 minute classroom periods. Workshops are held in individual classrooms. The programs include discussion of personal safety rights, types of assaults and effective strategies for handling many potentially dangerous situations. Young men and women are separated on the second and third days to foster a more comfortable environment for discussion.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Children with developmental disabilities are especially vulnerable to abuse, assault and bullying, by peers as well as adults. Programs for children with behavioral and learning challenges may inadvertently increase the propensity for abuse by encouraging compliance and conformity. This population of children also may lack the social, cognitive and/or language abilities to assert themselves, make informed decisions, understand consequences, and communicate when personal boundaries have been violated. Special needs presentations are designed for developmentally disabled students in the intermediate grades. The five day program focuses on working closely with the classroom teacher to teach body concept, recognition of body rights and to develop self confidence and independence.
CAP ASSEMBLY PROGRAMS
CAP Assembly Programs are available for students (grades 1-6) who have already had individual classroom workshops in a previous year. Based on a game show format, CAP facilitators review the important CAP concepts that were taught during the individual classroom workshops.
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