Helping Teens Stop Violence, Build Community, and Stand for Justice

This book is a guide for adults who work with young people, ages 10 and up, in diverse environments on topics related to social justice. It helps adults become effective allies to young people, and to develop understanding and skills needed so that they can facilitate community building among youth.
The framework and tools presented are applicable to adults working in schools, youth detention facilities, residential programs, after-school programs and recreation programs, as well as in colleges and universities. Committed parents can also use this material for insight into the life and needs of young people they care about or are guiding.
The book discusses major systems of oppression, such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, and adultism, in an accessible format. Adults are given exercises for their own development, for staff training, and also for direct use with youth. The book also provides a gateway framework for using the Making the Peace high school violence prevention curriculum, the Making Allies, Making Friends middle school curriculum, the Days of Respect organizing manual, and other curricula published by the authors.
Adults are encouraged to think about social justice issues not as a separate topic area but as an integral aspect of their work.