YOUTH

Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services provides a variety evidence-based prevention programs to increase pro-social skill development.  These programs can be offered in school or in an after/out of school setting.  Youth who complete the programs show and increase in coping skills, getting along with others, making better decisions and an increased in knowledge of negative consequences.  Curriculums are age appropriate and most often implemented by age/grade.   If you have a group of ten or more youth and would like to partner to bring these programs to you contact Support Services Coordinator. 

Too Good for Drugs / Violence

This evidence-based program implemented by Prevention Specialists in elementary, middle and high-school classrooms in Danville and Pittsylvania County.  The program is designed to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors related to violence, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. The program has shown a positive increase in knowledge of the harmful effects of tobacco use and a high percentage of youth who intend to quit or never begin smoking. It builds skills in youth to help with expressing criticism calmly, use anger constructively, and identify five different styles of conflict.    The program consists of ten lessons 30 – 45 minutes in length.

Aggressors, Victims & Bystanders

This program is designed for middle-school-aged children, and seeks to prevent violence through learning how conflict and violence arise, and about personal reactions to violence.  The curriculum consists of 20 sessions that look at the nature of aggression and violence and the techniques available to control them. Session topics include looking at conflict in our lives, circumstances when conflicts become violence, beliefs about conflict and violence, inner conflict, and visions of a non-violent world.

Botvin’s Life Skills Training

This research-validated substance abuse prevention program is proven to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, and violence by targeting the major social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. This comprehensive and exciting program provides adolescents and young teens with the confidence and skills necessary to successfully handle challenging situations. 

This evidence-based substance abuse prevention program is designed for implementation with youth ages 14 to 18 in a classroom or community setting.  The project includes 12 sessions, each of which is 10 to 50 minutes in length.  Each of the program sessions is highly participatory and interactive.    

This evidence-based program targets attitudes and behaviors associated with dating abuse and violence. Each of the 9 sessions is 50 minutes in length. The program raises students’ awareness of what constitutes a healthy and abusive dating relationship and helps build skills for developing a healthy relationship.   This program targets middle and high school youth.

This day camp serves at-risk or high-risk youth for one week during the summer and offers a variety of programs that emphasize responsibility, team building, decision-making and managing risks. New Horizons Adventure Camp provides opportunities and skills that nurture each child’s natural resiliency and other individual characteristics. Programs topics cover nutrition, fitness, safety, substance abuse prevention, life skills and the environment. Other activities will include fishing, crafts, sports, team building games, swimming and special events by program consultants. The daily focus will be on building healthy habits using activities that are both fun and interactive.  Youth are referred through Big Brothers Big Sisters, Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Social Services, guidance counselors, Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services and other youth serving organizations.