Thankk you to Steve Fortier for arranging this and to Meeting Waters for sponsoring it. – Lil 

Over the next several years, Meeting Waters YMCA leaders hope to train 5% of the adult population in its service area in the “Stewards of Children” child sexual abuse prevention workshop. They set off toward that ambitious goal on Wednesday, September 17^th in Bellows Falls.

According to information from the Stewards of Children website, “Child sexual abuse is likely the most prevalent health problem children face, with the most serious array of consequences. In fact, 1 in 10 children will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday. This means that whether you work with youth, are a parent, or are simply a member of a community, it is highly likely that someone you know and care for has experienced, or is currently experiencing, child sexual abuse. The good news is, it can be stopped.”

Meeting Waters YMCA Program Director Susan Fortier became a certified Stewards of Children workshop leader last spring as part of an initiative of the New Hampshire Alliance of YMCAs. The Y Alliance has partnered with the Granite State Children’s Alliance which oversees the Child Advocacy Centers around the state to roll the program out throughout New Hampshire. As the only Y providing services in both Vermont and New Hampshire, Meeting Waters YMCA is offering Stewards of Children on both sides of the river.

“We are very proud to offer Stewards of Children workshops as our latest community service,” says Meeting Waters YMCA Executive Director, Steve Fortier. “This is an issue with deep and lasting consequences for our children and our communities. As a community of adults—educators, coaches, parents, childcare providers, youth group leaders, anyone that cares about children—we need to come together, learn about the issue and implement simple, proactive steps to prevent child sexual abuse.”

The first “Stewards of Children” workshop is being hosted by the United Church of Bellows Falls from 6-8pm on Wednesday, September 17^th. The cost is $10 per person which covers the cost of program materials. As with all Meeting Waters YMCA programs, if the fee is a barrier to participation, financial assistance is available. A registration form is available at http://www.meetingwatersymca.org. Space is limited to 25 participants.

Reverend Janice Chilek, pastor at The United Church of Bellows Falls, said that the church is “honored to have the opportunity to host the program.” She adds, “Gaining an awareness of the reality around us and being prepared to react appropriately and timely are life-long skills. We hope many will join us as we work to make our communities safer places of care and compassion through training and knowledge.”

Fortier encourages school administrators, municipal recreation leaders, PTA leaders and others to contact the regional Y if they’d like to host a Stewards of Children workshop. “We aim to train thousands of adults over the next few years. It will take leaders like Reverend Chilek to step forward and organize a workshop in order for us to create a regional safety net for our children.” For more information or to set up a training, contact Meeting Waters YMCA at 802-463-4769 (BF-Fall Mountain area), 802-885-8131 (Springfield area) or 802-246-1036 (Brattleboro area).