The kNOw Program is a safe environment program designed specifically for the Diocese of Lansing where children gather: Schools, churches, youth groups, ministry groups, or mission fields.
The kNOw Program has FOUR goals:
- To help children and their parents kNOw how to identify and talk about safe, respectful behaviors and situations.
- To help children kNOw how to identify and talk about behaviors and situations that are not safe.
- To help adults appropriately respond to children’s concerns about being unsafe and/or disrespected.
- To inspire Christian communities to greater integrity and authenticity in creating unfailingly safe environments for children.
Please see kNOw training program materials under the resources section.
Parent/DRE Feedback
I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for this program. It was so important to have the kids and adults have this meeting together. It addressed some things that may be uncomfortable or something we are not really sure if our child is “old enough” to talk about yet. This program did this in a wonderful and respectful way. It opened the door to further discussion with my sons. We send our kids to school, church, sports, or even the computer, how do we know they are safe? What tools have we given them to ensure they will be protected and respected? This program taught the kids how to talk to people, and do it loudly, when they don’t feel respected. It was a program that gave families knowledge and empowered them to know what to do in an uncomfortable situation. Thank you for being proactive to help give our children a safe and happy future through these methods. I took my younger sons to the program, and will be doing the older program with my teenage girls.
– A Grateful Parent
Thank you so very much for your presentation of the kNOw Program last week. While the program was simple in its presentation, you made it engaging by getting the kids to think about and answer questions and also to start a conversation with their parent at the meeting on this sensitive topic. I wanted you to know that the conversation continued back at home with my husband and older daughter included. The program did what I believe it was supposed to do – it served as a conversation starter for our family and provided some language that our daughter can use if she ever feels uncomfortable or disrespected in a situation. I am also grateful that the program touched on a child being shown inappropriate pictures of other people. This is an ongoing conversation we have in our house. Even though we have safeguards on our own devices, our kids are around other kids who have devices that aren’t protected. It was great for us to be able to talk to the girls about not being in trouble if they are ever shown this in appropriate stuff, but to bring it to our attention so that we can help them both sort through their own feelings about what they were exposed to and also help the child who was showing such material. Thank you again for inviting the parents to this session with our children.
– Parent
Some parents who attended at our parish came with anxiety because they just didn't know how to talk about it at home. They felt better and empowered to continue the conversation.
– DRE
I like the terminology that is used, now I have a common language to use when talking with my kids.
– Parent
We will be presenting the kNOw program to all grades in both School and Family Formation. Personally I don't think it is juvenile as much as it is simple and repetitive, which isn't a bad thing. In my mind, it is part of the beauty of the program. We want young people to be empowered and practice speaking up when something isn't appropriate or if they feel threatened. The simplicity of the program lends itself to cover the content while adapting it to fit one's own presentation style as well as the audience.
– Director of Faith Formation
We exhaust ourselves by telling our kids why they must wear a hat or a coat when it’s cold outside. When did that become more important than telling our kids about their emotional protection? We have to STOP putting all the responsibility of staying safe on our own children. This program helped us learn how to do just that, in a comfortable way.
– A much more comfortable parent.