During the 2018-2019 school year this prevention program provided educational presentations and resources to approximately 2,700 youth in Weld County. SAVA’s approach for reaching the desired outcomes is informed by the evidence based model through the Center for Disease Control and Injury Prevention Socio-Ecological Model of Primary Prevention for Sexual Violence. In collaboration with Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO), we hope to Information gained from youth will be compiled and used to determine topics for future programming for Community Engagement events supported by the SAVA Center and GSCO.  In addition, with this funding we hope to train identified youth leaders within the GSCO to become SART Peers to provide presentations to Girl Scout Troops and other youth in Weld County youth communities.

The SART program utilizes the enthusiasm, talent, and credibility of students to educate their peers on sexual violence using a 90-minute interactive presentation, which is integrated into health classes for 7th, 9th, and 10th grade students. Peer education has been shown to be evidence-based and is more effective at changing student’s attitudes and social norms in sexual health. Our program has been shown through prepost-tests surveys that students who receive the SART presentation have an increased knowledge about sexual violence and who is affected, and more self-efficacy in intervening in situations that are unsafe. Students who participate as SART Peers gain knowledge and experience in public speaking, group facilitation, social activism and change, and social justice issues. Engaging youth voices and passions is integral to our program’s success and Peer-Education models have been show through research to create lasting change.

2020-2021 People Served by Area of Weld County

• Carbon Valley (Berthoud, Dacono, Erie, Firestone, Frederick, Longmont, Mead, Northglenn, Thornton): 0
  County Seat (Evans, Garden City, Greeley): 227
  Outback (Briggsdale, Grover, New Raymer): 0
  Poudre River Corridor (Severance, Windsor): 0
  South County (Brighton, Fort Lupton, Hudson, Keenesburg, Lochbuie): 0
  Thompson River Valley (Johnstown, Milliken): 0
  US-85 Corridor South (Platteville, Gilcrest, LaSalle, Kersey): 269
  US-85 Corridor North (Eaton, Ault, Pierce, Nunn): 0
  Outside Weld County: 3019

Find out more about this program:
2019-2020
2020-2021

After several SOAR lessons for students with intellectual/developmental disabilities at UNC, the professor shared with the SAVA facilitators that what they had been teaching the past couple of weeks had been positively impacting the students. For instance, one student - when making decisions about where they wanted to live on campus - said that their reason for deciding was “Because it’s my body, my choice!” This is one of the core takeaways of SAVA Center’s SOAR program, teaching students that they have bodily autonomy, preferences and choices, and can make decisions for themselves.