Stewards of Children

The Greater Holyoke YMCA is taking action to combat child sexual abuse by partnering with Darkness to Light (D2L), a nationally acclaimed non-profit, to bring its award winning prevention program, Stewards of Children, to the greater Holyoke community. Stewards of Children is an empowering two-hour workshop that educates adults on how to recognize, prevent and react responsibly to the reality of child sexual abuse. Stewards of Children emphasizes child safety as an adult’s responsibility. D2L trainings are open to the public, but the Y’s community-wide effort is particularly helpful to youth sports organizations, coaches, camp counselors, teachers, schools, faith centers, and other service organizations.

Approximately 20% of ALL victims of sexual abuse are under the age of 8. One in 5 children are sexually solicited while on the Internet. Thirty to forty percent of children who are sexually abused are abused by family members. As many as 60% are abused by people their family trusts. One in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before their 18th birthday. All these numbers add up to an estimated 39 million survivors of sexual abuse living in the U.S. today.

Get Certified Online

At the beginning of this work, we set a goal to training 1,500 adults in our community in Stewards of Children. Prevention is the answer to stopping child sexual abuse. We need as many adults in our community to have the prevention tools necessary to make a difference!

As important as the human side of child sexual abuse is the impact it has on a society as a whole. Each and every one of us feels the economic impact of child sexual abuse:

• The U.S. spends $3.4 billion annually for the immediate costs of child sexual abuse.
• In the city of Holyoke, the direct and immediate costs of child sexual abuse are nearly $434,800 dollars annually.
• The long-term costs and losses caused by child sexual abuse in Holyoke are over $4.4 million dollars annually.

One trained adult has the ability to protect up to 10 children. Each one of us can make a difference. We invite you to click the link below and take the training. The training is 2-hours, but does not have to be completed in one sitting. You have the ability to sign in and out of the training and start back up where you left off. We appreciate you taking the time to take a stand against child sexual abuse. Click below to start your training.

Facilitator Led Training

When presented in a group setting, Stewards of Children is led by a Darkness to Light Authorized Facilitator. Engaging and thought provoking, group led sessions include:

• A two-part video presentation with commentary from sexual abuse survivors, experts in the field and concerned adults.
• Facilitator-led discussion emphasizes important issues in prevention within the community and organizations that serve children.
• An interactive workbook facilitates discussion, reinforces key concepts, and serves as a resource and personal action plan for resolving child sexual abuse.

Contact Jennifer Gilburg at jgilburg@holyokeymca.org or 413-536-4395, ext. 102 for more information or to schedule a training.