Tom Mueller is an Education and Prevention Specialist with The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. In his roll he conducts violence prevention workshops with teenagers in Hillsborough and West Pasco County. These presentations cover a wide variety of topics that include:

-Teen dating, bullying and sexual violence

-Healthy relationships based on trust, respect and communications skills.

-Bystander intervention techniques to prevent violence

Each program consists of five lessons that are incorporated into the school's curriculum over a period of five weeks. Each presentation consists of PowerPoints, videos, true life stories, and role-playing. It is through these interactive and visual learning devices that the students acquire the knowledge, skills, and understanding of how to act in situations where bullying or teen dating violence can happen.  

The goal of these programs is to help teenagers build empathy and compassion so they are motivated to communicate with one another in a healthy way. The teens learn how to become more involved and discern what is healthy and what is not. They remember appropriate ways to react to situations and how to properly step up as a bystander to stop bullying or violence.

These programs are available to both public and private schools, as well as YMCA's, Boys and Girls Clubs, and youth detention centers. The program itself is geared toward teenagers between 12-19 years old, but often the presentations are given to those in the 9th grade as they transition into high school.

Being a teenager is never easy, but these programs can help ease societal stresses and misconceptions, while encouraging more positive ways of dealing with the issues teens face on a daily basis.

Community education is just one way the Crisis Center is having a positive impact in the Tampa Bay area. If you're interested in learning more about the Crisis Center, be certain to join us for a tour. To view a schedule of tours, click HERE.