Strategies

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  Enhance Partnerships

  The project worked closely with the Des Moines Public School Board and school system. 

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  Build Champions

  Hired and trained 5 youth mentors who are all high school athletes to facilitate the supplemental curriculum in a local middle school in Des Moines.

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  Educate & Train

  Administered this curriculm to 11 athletes aged 12-14 from a middle school in Des Moines with a weekly 45-60 minutes session during the school year with plans to grow the project in the follow year to more schools. 

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  Measure Impact

  A pre-and-post survey was taken to measure the program's effectiveness, as well as qualitative post-evaluations such as a group interview and observations.

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  Provide Resources

  The curriculum seeks to supplement the "Coaching Boys into Men" and "Athletes as Leaders" programs with topics that are culturally-specific about gender-based violence, healthy relationships, and harm reduction. The youth mentors have utilized the skills gained from their ongoing training to produce online content (blogs, vlogs, podcasts) that promote healthy social norms that prevent against violence against women. 

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  Learning Circles

  Youth mentors presented to members of the Des Moines Public School Board and representatives from the Iowa Department of Education regarding their healthy masculinity project, and also asking for more equity for marginalized groups within their school systems. In December 2018, youth mentors planned and implemented a community event to raise awareness about the connection between violence and homelessness in central Iowa, specifically violence against women and LGBTQ+ youth. Peer Mentors facilitated youth-led workshops and participated in speaking engagements on gender-based violence. They facilitated 2 workshops at Iowa State’s 4-H Retreat and 1 workshop at The University of Iowa’s What About Me(n) Conference, as well as planned 2 youth-led events raising awareness about gender-based violence.