The No Regrets violence prevention program was designed to teach Year 9, 10 and 11 students in selected schools across Victoria about the importance of respect in relationships and the dangers of violence.
It’s easy to say what should be happening in schools and for people to get uppity about the direction they perceive the youth to be heading in, however, the No Regrets program is evidence of how we’re trying to address the problem.
Step Back Think was heavily involved in the design and implementation of the program – carried out between October 2009 and June 2010 – with the Department of Education and the Foundation for Young Australians as part of government’s Respectful Relationships Education in Schools strategy.
No Regrets was designed to encourage deeper thought processes from students on how best to prevent, avoid or confront violent situations. The inevitable involvement of alcohol in their future decision-making, and the role it often plays in violent situations, was also a key feature of the program.
Affecting school kids’ attitudes towards violence is the first step in creating a new behavioural culture that condemns violence, which is why Step Back Think believes such youth-led programs that actively engage students are so important.