Kids' Place

This past week Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc. sponsored a new activity for Kids Place.  Family Crisis Services staff provided approximately 14 children with safety tools and self defense moves to help keep them safe from bullying, abduction, or abuse.  These 14 students were involved with the radKIDS personal empowerment safety education program. 

Children are targeted as victims because they are more vulnerable than adults.  There are more trusting and far easier to lure into dangerous situations. Through radKIDS training, children become empowered and learn to replace the fear, confusion, and panic of dangerous situations with confidence, personal safety skills and self esteem. 

The 14 students participating in our summer program learned:

Home and School Safety – ways to avoid accidents, safe ways to get out of the home    safely when a fire breaks out, safety in answering the phone or door, how to contact 911 and what to do when you call, the importance of staying with a “buddy” when at school or school functions.

 
Out and About Safety – the importance of staying within ‘Sight and Sound” of parents when out in public areas, stranger danger, learning to notice descriptions of cars or   strangers, how to recognize predator tricks, what to do if someone approaches you asking for directions or trying to get you to help find a lost animal, and what to do around strange dogs to avoid getting bitten.

 
Physical Resistance Strategies against abductions.  This includes resistance moves to help a child escape or defend themselves against abusive behaviors.

Students received a certificate of competition and a radKIDS book for their review and for their parents to read.

Every student participating understands the radKIDS rules:

1.      No one has a right to hurt you – no one, because you a special

2.      As a radKID you do not have the right to hurt anyone else, including yourself, unless some is trying to physically hurt you.  Then you have the right to stop them.  Remember, no one has the right to hurt you.

3.      It’s not your fault.  As a radkids, you know that if anyone has ever tried or tries to trick you, hurt you, or make you feel bad inside, it’s Not Your Fault.  When it’s not your fault, you can tell.