School-based Services
Awareness & Education
Change the Conversation partners with educators and administrators in Maryland and beyond. This allows us to supplement existing programs in those organizations with much-needed resources to bring comprehensive awareness and training to school communities. We provide professional development to teachers and opportunities for Continuing Education Credits to Licensed Counselors and Social Workers. Our efforts have allowed us to reach students and parents with programs such as Stewards of Children, Online Safety, Turn the Talk and HOPE.
We’ve also delivered special presentations to the Maryland Center for School Safety Student Focus Group and other organizations and given school presentations to over 4,000 students in more than 150 classroom sessions.
Turn the Talk
Turn the Talk is an evidence-inspired program that seeks to equip adolescents with tools to address child sexual abuse. The goal of the program is to define child sexual abuse and discuss relevant laws, policies, and effects. Additionally, we teach adolescents how to report child sexual abuse and minor sex trafficking, as well as how to investigate community resources and advocate for those who have experienced abuse.
Through PTA/PTO meetings and professional development trainings, Turn the Talk is also available to parents and school-based staff, such as teachers, counselors, student resource officers, and administrators. While content is amended based on the identified needs of the target audience, parents and staff will be able to identify best practices for engaging with adolescents on sensitive subjects while also receiving up-to-date information around trends in the field of child sexual abuse prevention and recovery.