Positive Youth Connections and The MARS Project
2532 N. 4th St., #506
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Main phone: (928) 774-4503
Fax: (928) 774-5809
24-Hour Crisis Line: (928) 527-1900 or (877) 634-2763
NFHC@northlandfamily.org
http://www.northlandfamily.org
Printable brochure (PDF)
Mission & Agency Overview
For more than 30 years, Northland Family Help Center (NFHC) has provided advocacy, prevention education, counseling and shelter for victims of violence and abuse through four free programs: Women’s Shelter, Youth Shelter, Counseling, and Community Based Services. All services are provided through a trauma-informed care approach.
NFHC’s Mission and Vision: to provide safe haven, advocacy, counseling and education to promote and restore healthy relationships. We envision a community where all people live in safety, where all forms of violence have been eradicated, and where healthy families and individuals serve as the foundation of a vibrant and productive community.
In 1999, NFHC opened H.A.L.O House (Northland Family Help Center (NFHC) consists of five departments:
• Women’s Shelter: for women and their children fleeing domestic violence.
• Youth Shelter: for youth ages 0-18.
• Counseling
• Community Based Services: Legal Advocacy, Community Education, Community
Outreach and Community Coordination.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program (SVPEP) funds the NFHC Community Based Services Department in its efforts to eliminate sexual violence through primary prevention and education. NFHC Community Education Department targets three populations through three innovative projects: Positive Youth Connections, The MARS Project and The BARS Project.
Positive Youth Connections (PYC) is a youth-focused program that seeks to educate the various members of the youth community, from the youth themselves to teachers and administration, parents/guardians, youth staff, and any others community members that may be associated with youth. There are several components to PYC that work together to form a comprehensive educational plan. These components may include: multi-session workshops; social marketing; parent/guardian training; the PEACE Project (Prevention Education And Creative Expression) and the PEACE Club. The PEACE Project is an innovative traveling youth theater troupe that, through performances and follow-up dialogue, seeks to educate the community and their peers about youth issues in the high school. The PEACE Club is a group of dedicated middle school students who meet during their lunch breaks or after school to learn about youth empowerment and the prevention of gender and relationship violence, using art and communication as their primary tools of education.
The MARS Project (Men Against Rape and Sexism) is a student-driven organization that is focused on the decrease of sexual violence at Northern Arizona University. The MARS Project is made up of four different branches. The first branch involves the peer education team: peer educators facilitate trainings, workshops and presentations to other students. The second branch is for students who are interested in coordinating community events (e.g., the Clothesline Project, Take Back The Night, and so forth). The third branch of MARS is for students who are interested in coalition building with other organizations, both university and community. The final branch of MARS is for students who are interested in political participation; these students attend board meetings, advocate to other student and/or administrative organizations, and participate in student government.
The BARS Project (Bars Against Rape and Sexism) is a campaign focused on addressing the issues associated with alcohol consumption and the incidence of sexual violence in alcohol serving establishments. Bar owners are asked to participate on several levels, from hanging posters to a "We care about our patron's safety" certification, which includes multi-session trainings of staff and completion of a facility assessment for safety and a commitment to recruit other bar owners/staff to the campaign.
ADHS Evaluation
This year, we are pleased to announce, that ADHS is assisting us in the development of a new set of evaluation tools. We will be able to garner data that is both valid and reliable. This data will be very useful in the further development of our programs. We plan to begin piloting the tools later this year.
Updated 06/17/11