In the society in which we live, a society in need of change, teens from around Washtenaw County gather in a collective effort to spread awareness about teen dating violence and sexual assault, using Teen Voice as their platform. Founded through Safehouse Center, Teen Voice is a peer education program dedicated to ending dating violence and sexual assault. Teen Voice members, Elsa Pasquariello and Peyton Kifer, are working alongside a group of seven teens to put on a youth oriented resource fair that will be held on April 20, 2024 at The Neutral Zone.
The resource fair, “Green Flag, Red Flag,” will be centered around interactive activities and education in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. While Teen Voice is centered around peer education, this resource fair is open to all ages. The event will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and food will be provided.
“I think this event is just a really good way to get more involved in a really big issue. It’s also a way to just get involved with your community,” Kifer said. “Even if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s still something that everybody should be informed on. It’s gonna be great.”
Kifer joined Teen Voice as a way to advocate for something he believes in. But after being a member for almost two years, he has found a sense of community within the program.
“My platform has always been that I’m an advocate for those that are underserved,” Kifer said. “I like to be an advocate for things that need change. And I feel like this is one of the topics that falls under it. It’s another thing that just needs to be talked about more and I feel like we need to bring more awareness to it, especially in our age group it’s not talked about enough. I think my favorite part of Teen Voice is just being with people who are like minded on this issue. I feel these are people that really want to drive change and it’s just such a good community here. It’s such a positive atmosphere.”
In order to be a part of Teen Voice, members must first go through specialized training. This training is meant to further members’ knowledge on consent, power and control, building healthy relationships, and more. Throughout their time in the program, members will develop the tools and skills needed to educate their peers on teen dating violence, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Pasquariello feels that preparing for this event has accomplished just that.
“I chose to join Teen Voice because I’m really passionate about ending sexual assault and domestic violence and I think preventative work is really important,” Pasquariello said. “My favorite part is probably learning more about sexual assault awareness. I feel like I learn something new every time — especially with the information in fact sheets that we use.”
If you are interested in being part of this societal change or even joining Teen Voice for the 2024-25 school year, this event is an amazing place to start.
