Facilitator Guest Star: Susan Komisar Hausman

It is an honor to be invited to post the first facilitator entry on this blog! Thank you, Ellen!


It is also an honor each time I represent Darkness To Light at a workshop or write about its mission or address a group about child sexual abuse (CSA). I always attach the prefix, “award-winning” to my descriptions of Stewards and point out with pride its National Crime Prevention Council distinction. I believed from the minute I found my way to the D2L web site over three years ago that this was a unique program, one that held great promise for children, and that belief has not wavered.. In fact, the more workshops I do, the more folks I reach, the more deeply I believe that adult education is the key to mitigating this epidemic. I have seen first-hand that D2L can inspire hope and healing and, most importantly, change. It’s an honor to be a part of D2L as a facilitator.


Wherever I go folks have questions for me: how did I find my way to Darkness To Light? What inspired me to become a facilitator? People want to know the hows and whys, especially folks who attend the workshops. Some folks have asked if I find the work depressing because the problem is so epidemic. Never, I tell them. The work is uplifting, even though the topic is heavy. Why? Because I feel I am making a difference.


I’ve told the story many times: that in exploring the internet one afternoon in spring of 2006, looking for resources on my own healing road, I came across a site that was unlike any other I had explored, a site that conveyed the message that it was an adult’s job to keep children safe from child sexual abuse. Prevention. No other site I had visited to that point led with the prevention message aimed specifically at adults. I was riveted to the pages. I read and re-read, absorbing the message like a sponge, alternately moved and energized. That site was Darkness To Light.


At the time becoming a facilitator necessitated a sponsor. Who would sponsor me, I wondered? A former accountant, I was not a social services professional, I had no agency to approach. Instead, a light bulb lit up in my head and I thought, “I wonder if our sisterhood would be interested?” The sisterhood of our synagogue, where my husband is rabbi, an organization I had limited involvement with, but which was comprised, I knew, of good, dedicated women, working in a variety of realms, many of them community-oriented.


I picked up the phone and made a call. In minutes I was told that the sisterhood board would be meeting that night (karma!!) and I should attend to share what I had found and what I was seeking. I did, and, in a unanimous vote, the sisterhood board agreed to be my sponsor. Our Boston-area D2L journey was born.


Several months later I attended a FAC workshop in Mount Kisco, NY. A beautiful October day, the autumn leaves made a striking picture against the bright blue, cloudless sky, prominently visible through the long windows of the hosting church. Except for a couple of phone conversations with the instructor, Tiffany, I knew no one, but from the moment I walked in I felt a camaraderie and peace that washed away any concerns I might have had. Here in this room were folks from a variety of backgrounds of a like mind, who got “it,” who understood how important this prevention mission was. It was powerful and meaningful, a great day.


And so, here I am, over three years later, many workshops under my belt, a 2nd Facilitator Workshop sponsored by our sisterhood coming up soon and the work continues. We have hosted two pre-dawn walks, literally walking from darkness into the light, drawing awareness to both the program and the problem. There have been frustrations, of course, there has been some resistance, of course, but the mission continues, one workshop at a time, one participant at a time, one foot in front of the other.


Most folks who attend my workshops are there out of choice, but it has never failed to be true that those who resist or are there out of duty to their job, display an emerging awareness and understanding by workshop’s end, often culminating in a true call to action. Those moments are awe-inspiring. There has not been one workshop that I’ve done where someone hasn’t told me of his/her own story of CSA or that of someone they love. Nor has there been one workshop where at least one attendee isn’t stunned by the statistics or learned something they didn’t know about grooming or a behavior they’d seen that could indicate an abused child in their midst, even if they’ve worked with children for years. This is a workshop that speaks volumes; and attendees hear. I know first-hand of policy changes in youth-serving organizations based directly on the awareness folks gleaned from Stewards. I also know of mandated reporters who better understood their obligations because they had taken the workshop.


I could go on, but time and space dictate otherwise. Instead, I’ll wind down where I began: I believe deeply in the tenets of Stewards Of Children and the commitment to a program of excellence by Darkness To Light. I believe this 7-step program and its four powerful tools for implementation have the power to inform those who might otherwise never have known how they can make a difference in the life of a child, the safety of their community, helping to resolve this sobering, pervasive problem. My hat is off to my Darkness To Light colleagues, and my fellow facilitators, for working so hard to press on with the message: we can make the world safer for our kids.

  Susan Komisar Hausman - Stoughton, MA
  kissesfromdolce@gmail.com
  (781) 264-0181

First Prevent Now Conference Call

On Tuesday, November 17th, Cindy McElhinney hosted a conference call for all Prevent Now! Workshop participants. Thank you to everyone who was able to join us! For any participants who could not call in, we hope you can join us next month. Our next call is Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 2 pm EST.


There were many success stories shared on the call. Many Prevent Now! participants are making fantastic progress in their communities, holding Community Awareness meetings, scheduling Stewards of Children trainings and approaching new organizations. Gaining this momentum can be tricky, but patience is key!

Almost everyone has experienced the frustration that their community simply does not "get it" initially. Intentions do not always match actions. There are ways to get around this problem, and many of these solutions were also discussed on the conference call.

If you are interested in networking with fellow Prevent Now! participants, join our Stewards of Children Facebook group and add to the Prevent Now! discussion.

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Wondering what a Prevent Now! Workshop is all about? You have four more chances to find out! Join us for this day and a half long workshop led by Darkness to Light staff, where you will how to expand and sustain your community prevention efforts.

The Final Prevent Now! Workshops:
December 2-3: Atlanta, GA
January 11-12: Boston, MA
February 18-19: Houston, TX
March 15-16: Chicago, IL

If you would like to attend a workshop, contact Ellen Schmedinghoff at 843-965-5444 x.25. Hope to see you there!

Calling All Bloggers!

Are you a jack of all trades? Do you think you have some blogging skills up your sleeve?

I bet you do! This month I invite you to be a guest blogger here at the Facilitator Blogspot. You can use this as an opportunity to share your experiences with fellow Facilitators.

No need to be an expert writer to create a blog. Treat it as a journal entry or a stream of consciousness narrative. You are making a huge difference and we would love to hear more!


Here are some ideas to get rolling:

• Share some great testimonials or feedback from your Stewards of Children trainings



• News from your community/organization



• How has Darkness to Light made a difference in your personal life as well as the life of your friends, family, colleagues, students...



• A Day in the Life of Facilitator



• What "works" for you: How have you successfully raised awareness, promoted and raised funds for Stewards of Children training?



• Networking opportunities for Facilitators in your area. Share some information about an event around town or a meeting place to collaborate and talk about your prevention efforts.

Those are just some suggestions. The possibilities are endless! I can't wait to hear from you.

~Ellen

Prevent Now! Workshop: Charleston

Stop number three for the Prevent Now! Workshop:

Our hometown, Charleston SC!

Join us in beautiful downtown Charleston and see where Darkness to Light was founded only nine years ago. We have experienced Southern hospitality in its truest form. The community has embraced the organization's many prevention efforts, attending Stewards of Children trainings, spreading the word, and donating to this incredible cause.

We want to share our experiences with you. Come learn about our specialized prevention strategies. The day and a half long Prevent Now! Workshop will better prepare you to market Stewards of Children, raise funds to support prevention efforts and build public awareness around child sexual abuse. If you attend this workshop, you will also be eligible to tap into our $500,000 Community Seed Fund to obtain free Darkness to Light products and services.

There are still plenty of seats left at this workshop. Interested in attending, let me know! We can't wait to show you our hometown.

~Ellen

Move from Outrage to Action

We have all seen the outrageous headlines: perpetrators, survivors and their horrific tales of abuse. When will enough be enough? When will entire communities mobilize and move towards primary prevention of child sexual abuse?



We are all part of the solution. You went through Facilitator training because you understood the need for Stewards of Children training in your community. Let us work together and encourage ALL adults to see the need for prevention training and public awareness of this epidemic.



You should have received an e-mail today with a moving opinion/editorial piece written by Anne Lee, our President & CEO. This "op/ed" was written for distribution to national and local media. Pass it on! Blog about it. Send the letter to your local newspapers. E-mail it to your friends, family and colleagues.



Let's make this message viral.

The Action Packed Midwest

Looks like October will be a fabulous month! We are only nine days into the month of October and there are already 10 Facilitator Workshops and 2 Prevent Now! Workshops on our calendar.

There sure is somethin' going on in the midwest this month. Almost half of our workshops are located in this hotspot. We are excited to welcome these new additions to our pack of midwestern facilitators.

Debbie Anderson led a fantastic training in Michigan on the 2nd. Helen Kobussen prepared over 25 people to be Wisconsin facilitators on the 8th.

The crew at Missouri Kids First will host a facilitator workshop on the 26th and Michael's House, a beautiful Child Advocacy Center in Dayton, Ohio will host a workshop on the 28th.

Our President & CEO- Anne Lee, Development Coordinator- Cathy Townsend and very own Cindy McElhinney just returned from a fantastic Prevent Now! Workshop in Indianapolis. Many organizations turned out and learned how to expand their prevention efforts and tap into our Community Seed Fund.

We have workshops set up in California, Georgia, Virginia and Washington as well this month! Thank you to everyone who has contributed to getting these set up.

Interested in sending your colleagues, friends or family to any of these Facilitator Workshops? There is still plenty of time! Visit our Storefront to register.

Got E-mail??

Can anyone tell me where the summer went? I have no idea! My first few months at Darkness to Light have flown by. Cindy and I want to thank you all for such a warm welcome to the Facilitator family. It has been wonderful getting to know all of you over the phone, e-mail, in person, even on Webex!


We hope you have enjoyed reading our e-mails this summer. If you have not received our contact updates, newsletters, and "hello" messages- something may be wrong. Check with your e-mail server provider or take a look through your junk mailbox. Your filter may be blocking messages from Darkness to Light and Constant Contact.


If you have recently changed organizations or e-mail addresses, let us know. We will be happy to update your record.


September was an AWESOME month. Stay tuned for some exciting stories and numbers in the October newsletter. Coming soon to a computer near you! ~Ellen

Newsletter

Hello Facilitators. Well I am happy to report that a newsletter was sent out to all active facilitators via email this week. If you did not receive the email, it's possible that we do not have a valid email address on file for you or that our newsletter email was blocked by your email program. Please email facilitatorsupport@d2l.org to confirm your email address. You can also view the newsletter on the facilitator page under the link for Facilitator Newsletters. We hope you find the information helpful. This is the first of many communication pieces that are headed your way. Please note that the changes to the Stewards reporting tool have been implemented. We had a few glitches yesterday but those have been resolved today. When reporting, please read the questions carefully to become familiar with the new format. We have also started sending emails asking you to update your contact information. Thanks so much for all you do and have a great day! - Cindy

Hello Facilitators!

Welcome to the new Facilitators News Page created to provide you with timely and relevant information. We will regularly post news articles and information you can hopefully use to help further your efforts as Stewards Facilitators. Please share with us any comments or ideas you have about this new page and we hope you will find it to be a valuable resource. As always, we thank you for your committment to protecting children from child sexual abuse.

- Cindy McElhinney, Director of Programs