Join Us for “10 Essential Tools for Raising Teens in a World of Relationships and Social Media” – Parent Talk
Are you prepared to protect your teen from the hidden dangers of modern relationships and social media? As part of YWCA Week Without Violence October 21-26th, we invite you to join DDAC for a powerful event kick-off and practical parent session on Monday, October 21th: "10 Essential Tools for Raising Teens in a World of Relationships and Social Media."
In today’s world, even the most attentive parents can miss the subtle signs of unhealthy teen relationships. Join Rita Bailey and Michelle Trieste as they present strategies to help you guide your teen through the complexities of social media, peer pressure, and dating. Learn how to foster open communication, spot early red flags, and empower your teen to set healthy boundaries—all without overwhelming them.
Event Highlights
Learn the 3 key elements of healthy teen relationships
Spot the early warning signs of unhealthy dynamics
Discover how social media complicates teen relationships and how to navigate it
Build confidence and communication with easy conversation starters
Create a safety plan for your teen and access local resources for support
This is not about fear—it’s about equipping you with tools to help your teens thrive.
Date: October 21th
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: YWCA Darien/Norwalk
Cost: Free - Hosted by The Darien Community Association
Let’s work together to create a safer, more supportive environment for our teens. Register today to reserve your spot, and don’t miss out on this essential event!
For more details, visit YWCA Week Without Violence 2024 and sign up for the Parent Talk here.
2021
October awareness event
Click the link below to purchase kits.
Coming soon in 2020…
“The Party” Performance Feb 4,2020
A unique educational interactive performance that explores issues associated with relationship violence, sexual assault, consent, and bystander intervention.
Presented by Deana's Educational Theater (who also brought us The Yellow Dress), The Party explores the relationship between three characters, Jordan, Kyle and Allie, who are in college and enjoying campus life: Parties, games, and "hooking up" become a regular part of college life until one night something goes horribly wrong. Audiences watch as the characters who once were friends become caught up in a scenario where hooking up becomes sexual assault. Using an imaginary remote control device Jordan stops, rewinds, and replays various scenarios while the actors incorporate the audience's observations and suggestions into the action of the play.
2019
Family Fun Day Oct 5,2019
DDAC and THE DEPOT brought DARIEN’S FAMILY FUN DAY 06820 and DEPOT HEALTH FAIR on Oct. 5 to Hindley School. It was an afternoon for activities and crafts to brighten your day and put a smile on their faces while “lighting the path to positive relationships”.
EVENT INCLUDED:
Free bicycle helmets (limited numbers available), car seat installation, touch a truck, face painting, pumpkin painting, caricaturist, bouncy house, 17 mental health and safety awareness booths, food for purchase and fun.
Net proceeds from DARIEN’S FAMILY FUN DAY supported awareness, educational, and prevention initiatives in Darien for domestic violence victims. Proceeds also funded victim assistance and our “Wings of Hope” fund.
2018
the yellow dress Feb 6, 2018
The Yellow Dress is a dramatic one-woman play based on the stories of young women who were victims of dating violence. Speaking in an intimate and honest monologue, Anna describes her relationship that started out as young love full of passion and promise that ultimately ends in tragedy. This carefully constructed play allows the audience to learn about the cycle of dating violence. The audience watches as Anna describes the different types of abuse that she experienced, the effects that abuse has on the victims of dating violence, and how difficult it is to leave an abusive relationship. (The Yellow Dress was written by Deborah Lake Fortson and originally produced by Sydney Patten)
family fun day Sept 29, 2018
Please join the DDAC and YWCA at DARIEN’S FAMILY FUN DAY on Sept 29, 2018 from 1:00-4:00pm at Hindley School. It will be an afternoon for you and your family, including pets, to join your community members for activities and crafts to brighten your day and put a smile on your face while “lighting the path to positive relationships”.
pinwheels Oct 2018
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month the DDAC displays purple and yellow pinwheels representing the number of domestic violence victims in Darien in front of the Darien Library.
Janine Latus Author of If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder and Liberation
JANINE LATUS JAN 2018
Janine Latus is the author of the international bestseller If I Am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder and Liberation, which tells the story of two sisters who grow up to choose angry and controlling men. One breaks free and thrives; the other is murdered by her live-in boyfriend. Janine is the sister who survived, and she had to travel to help identify her sister's body.
Since then she has spoken widely on the spectrum of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, telling her story to hundreds of audiences, from the United States military to universities, high schools and colleges, corporations and on the TEDx stage. Her goal is to always leave her audiences haunted. She has helped shelters and social service agencies raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, helped corporations create a safer environment by teaching them how to recognize the symptoms of abuse, and helped the military create a healthier climate within its commands.
Be sure to go to http://www.janinelatus.com/speaker/testimonials/ to see what former audience members and/or clients have said.