HOWARD — St. Mark Lutheran Church is working with Centre Safe to launch a sexual assault prevention curriculum with education and support targeted toward members of the community over the age of 60, caregivers, staff and volunteers working with seniors.
The program, called AWARE (Adult Wisdom to Advance Respect and Empowerment), is planned to run for multiple years with the first session at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 850 Snydertown Road, Howard. The program was funded in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect.
“Research shows ongoing, consistent prevention programs make a world of difference yet older adults are often excluded from prevention work or are discussed without being given the emphasis members of that population deserve,” Jennifer Pencek, the executive director of Centre Safe, said.
“We know the high rates of sexual violence in our communities, including with the 60-plus age demographic, whether we are talking about recent instances or past experiences a victim was never able to process. AWARE aims to provide a very-needed space for learning and growing. We are honored to launch this program with our community partners and look forward to building relationships with other organizations wanting to make a difference.”
Participants in the program will get an opportunity to learn about various aspects of prevention goals during the grant cycle with the first year of the cycle focusing on caregivers, volunteers and staff. Year two of the program looks to focus on the members of the community who are 60-plus and year three will prioritize education for other members of the community.
“As each year launches, the previous year’s programs will also be included, resulting in a community of care at the end of the grant cycle including various important facets of prevention work and this population,” a statement from St. Mark Lutheran Church noted.
Guests can register for the first session taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 20, by emailing stmarklutheran@gmail.com. More information can be found by calling 814-383-4882, visiting stmarksnydertown.wixsite.com/snydertown or follow @StMarkSnydertown on Instagram and Facebook.
