Running head: FINAL PROJECT – WEEK 8

Final Project – Week 8

Roberta Simpkin

PSY301 UF - Children and Violence

Argosy University

Dr. Kimberly Harlan

Final

A group of parents decided it was time to change their community. They were tired of

gang wars, of drug peddling, and violence in the area. The parents realized no one was

going to change the neighborhood for them and they needed to make the effort. They

began to have weekly meetings and invited other parents in the area to attend. One parent

suggested that everyone invest a few dollars to invite a community intervention specialist

to speak to them about developing a plan to make their neighborhood safe (Argosy

University, 2011).

Prepare a presentation for parents, providing pertinent information on how they might

begin to make the necessary changes in their community. Suggest intervention programs

for parents as well as children. Address how parents can work together to improve the

community and how children can be encouraged to join also to improve the area. Explore

the issues of gender, diversity, and ethics in your presentation (Argosy University, 2011).

Final

Presentation To Parents On

Combating Violence in the Neighborhood

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today I would like to present to you a program on how you can make some

changes in your neighborhood. There is a prevalence of violence today with gang wars,

drug peddling, and other unsafe practices and it is destroying our neighborhoods. We are

not comfortable walking in our own town. You have asked me to show you how you can

begin to make the necessary changes in your community. There are many psychological

effects stemming from community violence but let’s examine the related

psychoeducational and intervention strategies that are available to us (Argosy University,

2011).

To begin, I would suggest that in order to have an effective intervention program,

the following strategies should be used. You need to involve the schools, the community,

the parents, educators, administrators, healthcare professionals, and the children in order

to change behaviors. These strategies should also include open dialog about violence and

its consequences, writing workshops, and frequent parent-teacher meetings. Then

measures should be put in place to begin a violence prevention program with the schools

and the community in developing and performing violence prevention and response plans

(Argosy University, 2011).

Final

By coming together as a community, you will be able to share in the betterment of

your lives and that of your community as a whole. Violence in the community threatens

the shared enjoyment you have and leaves everyone feeling frightened and isolated

(Argosy University, 2011).

You need to keep the lines of communication among yourselves and give each

other support. Next we need to enroll everyone in your community intervention program

to develop the necessary skills to protect you from victimization. The intervention

strategies that could be used would include developing self-esteem and confidence in

handling situations that you will encounter every day. You need to be confident enough

to effectively manage the situation without resorting to violence. An added feature would

be to enroll in a self-defense class where you can develop self-protective skills (Argosy

University, 2011).

We need to foster resiliency as part of the community-intervention plan. To foster

resilience, you need to encourage learning and participation in extracurricular activities,

teach communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, get the community

involved, and develop a sense of positive self worth (Argosy University, 2011).

The community-intervention plan would be for all ages, both genders, and all

diverse groups. There are no gender differences in instances of violence (Argosy

University, 2011).

Final

I would stress that everyone have the knowledge, understanding, and training for

the different genders, diversities, and ethnicities in order to effectively deliver a fairness

in diversity and ethics to establish an effective plan with violence (Argosy University,

2011).

We are the greatest nation in the world, yet the United States has the highest rate

of violence with community violence, homicide, suicide, and firearm-related deaths

among all the industrialized countries (Argosy University, 2011).

We need to take action now. Thank you and I hope this presentation has been

beneficial and helpful to you.

Final

Reference

Argosy University (2011). PSY301 UF: Children and Violence: Module 8 Online

Lecture, Retrieved on February 28, 2011 from: http://www.myeclassonline.com