Youth, Education, and Advocacy Program
YWCA of Monterey County’s Youth Outreach and Advocacy team partners with schools and other organizations to educate our youth about signs of abusive relationships. Our team of professionals use the resources provided by the CDC and have dedicated their work to youth advocacy. They believe to bring about sustaining change, we must educate our youth. Our YEA Program team have help turn around the lives of youth in our community.
Our primary goal is to educate and connect our youth to resources that provide them with tools to identify characteristics of a healthy relationship and any potential relationship red flags. In collaboration with school districts in Monterey County, we provide youth empowerment. Through mentorship, healthy relationship modeling, professional skill development, and voice confidence our program teaches valuable skills. The Youth Education and Advocacy Program (YEA) is an excellent way to teach safe and healthy relationship skills to high school students in Monterey County. Se habla español.
YEA Program’s Key Learning Models, Safe Dates by Hazeldon, and Dating Matters distributed by the CDC.

Safe Dates Curriculum
Safe Dates focuses on attitudes and behaviors associated with teen dating violence. This program is evidence-based and educates adolescents on how to identify and prevent dating violence. This course is ten engaging sessions.

Dating Matters Curriculum
This prevention model by the CDC educates 11-14 year olds on healthy relationship skills. Dating Matters helps reduce behaviors that increase the risk for dating violence, like substance abuse and sexual risk-taking.
Our YEA Program will impact students positively for the rest of their lives by providing them with the necessary tools to identify characteristics of a healthy relationship and any potential relationship red flags. It is important to consider how we’re educating youth on the topic of dating violence and sexual assault. Safe Dates is an effective solution as is Dating Matters. Both have an interactive format that will help students of all backgrounds learn to embrace their voices when it comes to dating violence prevention.