There are a million reasons why I enjoy working at loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline. When I first learned of the position of being a peer advocate at the helpline I was thrilled and felt like it could not have come at a better time. I started in August ‘09 and since then I have been educated on so many important issues that I always wanted to be involved with before but never had quite the same opportunity as with working at loveisrespect. It has allowed me to carry out my part in raising dating abuse awareness not only at work but at school and in the community as well. Out of all the reasons why I am privileged to work at the Helpline, in the end the main one is not about me, but helping others and contributing towards making a positive difference in their lives.
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I love working at loveisrespect, a huge reason why I love it here is because I was in a very unhealthy relationship in the past myself. Because of my past, I really think that I can relate to and understand those who have been in the same position I have been in. It means a lot to me when I talk to someone and they say thank you, because at that point I realize that I actually did help somebody and that I might have provided the advice they needed to have positively changed their future in some way. It feels awesome to know that I am part of a team that recognizes the importance of the Helpline and that truly makes a difference.
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With a successful and productive Peer Ambassador training weekend under our belts, we thought we would let two of our peer advocates fill you in on how the weekend went. Check it out:
Advocate #1
The Peer Ambassador weekend in Dallas was a blast! We had the opportunity to meet a group of amazing teens from around the country! We had a great time getting to know everyone and of course Six Flags over Texas was a ton of fun! One of the highlights for me was having the opportunity to sit down and talk with all of the teens about how they feel teen dating violence affects people in their schools and neighborhoods. We picked a brilliant group of teens and they had so much feedback and input to share with our team. I learned so much during our weekend together. I really appreciated how involved and enthusiastic everyone was about making changes in their home towns. I can’t wait to see the impact that our Peer Ambassadors have in their communities!
The Peer Ambassador weekend was a huge success!
Advocate #2
As advocates with loveisrespect, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, we talk with teens daily about critical, real, and most often difficult situations in their lives caused by unhealthy and abusive behaviors in relationships. When I arrived in Dallas to meet our newly established group of Peer Ambassadors, I assumed most of my weekend would be spent educating and talking about my experiences on the helpline as a senior advocate. It was therefore a great and humbling surprise to spend most of the weekend not being the teacher, but the student, and the peer. I learned so much from our Peer Ambassadors’ stories and explanations of the realities for teens around the country, from different cities, cultures, and futures. And while the knowledge shared and lessons learned were as rich as they were diverse, one message seemed to unite. “Respect is not a privilege. It’s a right, and it starts with yourself.” Thank you to all of our Peer Ambassadors for teaching us more than you know, and to everyone who advocates and educates on the effects of abuse.
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So you’re back to school now. Walking down the hallway with your new clothes on, seeing the friends you missed during the summer, and feeling confident. Then “the ex” walks by. Your heart jumps…..but not in a good way. At the end of the last school year you broke up with him because he had become very controlling and you found that you were scared to be around him. The summer was amazing because you were free and away from him. But now you’re back in the same school as him.
Some ways to stay safe would be to have a friend or two that you can walk with between classes. If he does approach you it might be a good idea to walk away. If you have plans after school make sure that you have a ride home so that you’re not hanging out outside alone. If you do feel threatened then it might be a good idea to talk to your school counselor about him. You should always be able to feel safe at school.
But most importantly, enjoy yourself and have fun during these next few years in high school.
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Back to school… an exciting time filled with friends, parties, new crushes, and dates. Dating, whether it be with a familiar face, or someone new, can be an exhilarating experience. From the “what to wear” to the “where to go,” going on a date can be both stimulating and panicky. Here are some tips to check out before going on your date…
- Dress in a way that makes you feel best about yourself.Â
- Be yourself!
- Make sure you let someone know where you are going and who you are going to be with.
- Keep your cell phone on you (if you need some help, or feel a little nervous, excuse yourself and call for back up).
- If you are over 21, keep an eye on your alcohol consumption (being drunk on a first date is neither flattering, nor safe).
- Trust your instinct… if something doesn’t feel “right,” chances are it probably isn’t.
- Know your limits: don’t feel pressured to go anywhere or do anything you are not comfortable with.
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February 2nd to the 6th is the fourth annual Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week. Here at loveisrespect we are busy creating new LOVE Mashups and responding to calls and chats.
What are you doing? Is your school hosting an event? Can you add us to your Facebook or MySpace profile? Check out our GET INVOLVED page to see all the ways you can show your support of loveisrespect and join the efforts to end teen dating abuse. There are also tool kits for teachers to download and share with their classes. Check them out!
If you have pics or videos an event or project for Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week send it in. We love to show the great things teens are doing across the country.
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On October 30th the Helpline staff and advocates celebrated the candy corny goodness of Halloween with a pumpkin carving contest. Check these out!
Read more…
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Austin people, we’ve got a new volunteer class starting in October. If you’re interested in becoming a Peer Advocate, answering calls and chats from teens across the country, please contact us. Training covers topics like crisis intervention, safety planning, healthy relationships, etc. We do lots of practice calls/chats with our new volunteers. And there’s always someone around to help. We promise.
Email us. We’ll tell you more.
*To ensure confidentiality for our callers and chatters, peer advocates have to work from our Austin office. If you don’t live in Austin and you’re looking for volunteer opportunities, give us a call. A Peer Advocate can help you find something in your area.
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Our newest batch of interns start today. Interns will continue the huge task of collecting teen friendly resources for the states of Texas and California. It’s an overwhelming and necessary job, and we’re really lucky to have found four new interns ready to take on the challenge. Their projects will help us better help our callers/chatters by connecting them with local resources that can really help. Plus – all of our interns are trained Peer Advocates – they’ll take calls and chats too.
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April 27th – May 3rd is National Volunteer Week, a week created in 1974 to recognize and celebrate volunteerism. Since our launch in February 2007, National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline our volunteers have given about 1,800 hours, equivalent to 19,000 dollars in value. Most of our volunteers serve as Peer Advocates, and are between the ages of 16-24. Not only do they complete a 40 hour training, and take calls and chats from those that contact the helpline, but they are also involved in community outreach – they volunteer to recruit other volunteers and promote the helpline at community events in Austin. Recently, our volunteers have participated on behalf of the helpline at the University of Texas Take Back the Night rally and the annual Walk for SafePlace (a local domestic violence shelter).
We appreciate our volunteers all of the time, but we’ll be taking extra steps to appreciate them this week. And if you’re in Austin and interested in volunteer opportunities, visit the Get Involved section of our website for more information.
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