Personal Safety at Woodward

Prevention Education Lessons Powered by MBF Athlete Safety Matters®

Because you care and want your child to be safe. Just as your child will be learning new techniques about their favorite sport, they can also learn new personal safety strategies to protect themselves well beyond camp.

Personal Safety Lessons at Woodward (Powered by MBF Athlete Safety Matters®) will educate and empower your child to prevent, recognize, and respond appropriately to abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, and other digital dangers; all very real threats for kids today.

Personal Safety Lessons @ Woodward…

  • will teach your child skills that will help support their safety and well-being long after they leave camp and return home, to school, and to other everyday activities.
  • is age- and developmentally appropriate, fun and interactive, and it is not dark or scary. The topics are presented in an informative manner without being explicit or graphic.
  • teaches the MBF 5 Safety Rules© that will help them recognize unsafe situations and people. The lessons will also teach them how to identify and talk to Safe Adults.
  • will be presented by Woodward staff who have been trained as MBF Certified Facilitators.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why is Woodward encouraging personal safety education as a part of their camps now? Safety has always been a priority for Woodward, but beginning last year, they are offering this new personal safety experience for all youth campers and hope parents will see the value in this critically needed education. This is important for ALL children as 1 in 4 children will be bullied, 1 in 3 cyberbullied, and 1 in 10 sexually abused before they reach age 18.
  2. What topics are covered during the lessons? Children will learn about all types of child abuse, bullying/cyberbullying, and digital dangers.
  3. If youth are learning about all types of abuse, does that include sexual abuse? Yes, they learn about abuse to their bodies as well as physical and emotional abuse. Please be assured this is not sex education; it is personal safety education.
  4. How many lessons will my child attend, and how long are they? Each child will attend five lessons ranging from 15-20 minutes each. So, in less than two hours, your child will learn safety skills that will help better protect them throughout their lives.
  5. How do children usually react to these lessons? Feedback from facilitators regarding children’s reactions is always positive. There are no dark or scary pictures or messages.
  6. What if my child has questions or concerns after attending the lessons? All Woodward staff have completed additional Prevent 360° training to respond in a supportive, helpful manner if your child has questions or concerns they want to discuss after the program lessons.
  7. What if I have concerns about what my child will learn? We understand as a parent or guardian you want your child to be safe, but that you may also have concerns about what they will learn in the Personal Safety Lessons. It is important to note that your child will not be exposed to topics too advanced for them. It’s also helpful to know that being exposed to topics, such as abuse, will not take away your child’s innocence. Education doesn’t take away a child’s innocence; experiences do. And this program is designed to prevent those very experiences.
  8. How will I know what my child has learned? As parents ourselves, we want you to know we understand your concerns and value your role in your child’s life. MBF and Woodward will involve parents/guardians by sending you parent materials and by providing a variety of additional resources to educate and empower you as well.

About MBF Prevention Education Programs (including MBF Athlete Safety Matters)

  • MBF Programs have been presented to more than 10 million children and teens throughout the United States and in 6 additional countries.
  • They are supported and trusted by parents, educators, and experts in the education and child abuse prevention fields.
  • They are age- and developmentally appropriate, as well as fun and engaging for children and teens.

And they work…

  • MBF Prevention Education Programs were developed based on the latest research and prevention best practices.
  • MBF Child Safety Matters® (K-5 School-based program) has been found to be a quality and effective program by four independent research studies. MBF Athlete Safety Matters was developed based on the same theoretical concepts and the same best practice prevention strategies ensuring its effectiveness.
  • Research has shown that educating and empowering children with lasting knowledge and personal safety skills, self-confidence, communication strategies, and assertive response skills may decrease the likelihood that they will be victimized by:
    • improving their ability to recognize and respond safely to dangerous situations.
    • increasing their ability to resist potential offenders.
    • deterring offenders who look for and prey on vulnerable children.
    • improving their communication with safe adults.
    • increasing the likelihood they will communicate with safe adults about unsafe situations.

Here’s what others are saying:

“I am infinitely grateful for the proactiveness of the programs. At different ages and stages, our daughter has been provided helpful tools for unforeseen situations. She continues to use the language and has been prepared for situations in middle school, after-school activities, and even when messaging with friends. When in doubt, she defers back to the Safety Rules for choices she is faced with every single day and continues to rely on Safe Adults when things feel bigger than she is comfortable handling on her own.”

Katherine D. – Parent

 

“The material presented in the lessons is excellent, relevant and the most detailed I have ever seen for children and teens! The youth I present to (Kindergarten to 12th grade) are all responsive, interactive, and engaged with the material presented. MBF is an incredible organization, and I am proud to share this information with kids.”

Nicole W. – Certified Facilitator

 

“We know that perpetrators of abuse respond to children saying “NO” and “STOP”. Thus, to teach a child that it is okay to say “NO” in uncomfortable or uncertain situations – one of the tenants of the MBF programs – could be the difference between being victimized or not.”

Melissa A. Bright, PhD – Assistant Research Scientist
University of Florida

 

What They're Saying...

The MBF Teen Safety Matters curriculum hosts an in-depth approach to important social and safety concerns relevant to youth. The program content is age-appropriate with engaging activities, jargon, and realistic situations to positively promote a relatable and impacting learning experience…Teen Safety Matters is an educational benefit to all parties involved – students, parents, facilitators, and schools.

Sharon W. Cooper, MD

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

I heard about the program through my son. He came home…and showed me the safety rules. I cannot thank the Foundation enough; to have other people who are also concerned about my child’s safety and the safety of other kids is wonderful. I especially like the program’s focus on the prevention side.

Roberta Targino, M.S.

Parent and Mental Health Counselor

The MBF Child Safety Matters program is impressive. This important information is well formulated and well presented, developmentally appropriate, and based on good understanding of literature.

David Finkelhor, Ph.D.

Crimes Against Children Research Center
Scroll to Top