This workshop will focus on successes and challenges of prevention programming in rural communities. Participants will recognize the risk factors and needs of their communities and strategize a prevention program suitable for them. They will also discuss and practice responses to common issues in rural prevention programming such as victim blaming and discrimination.

Presenter: Jessica Bender, Community Coordinator, Family Refuge Center (she/her/hers)
Jessica Bender is a Psychology graduate of Concord University in southern West Virginia who has held the position of Community Coordinator at Family Refuge Center for three years. In this role, Jessica conducts violence prevention programming with youth in four service counties, provides training to in-field professionals and community members across West Virginia, and coordinates community awareness events. She is also a member of Rainbow Justice League and Aspiring Allies, two committees based on anti-oppression and allyship through the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Recently, she has been sharing her prevention experience while training advocates and educators in other states as well and hopes to one day bring a rural voice to a national violence program.

Please note that the live event is limited to 250 attendees. This webinar will be recorded and shared within a week of the presentation.