Friendship Center of Helena, Carroll College, Helena, MT

Contact Name: Kelly Parsley
Website: http://thefriendshipcenter.org/
Phone Number: (406) 447-4524
E-mail: kparsley@carroll.edu
Key Words: ((1) Gender specific and male only; (2) middle and high school age; (3) primarily white population; (4) middle and high school setting; (5) multiple-session, curriculum-based program
Population served
This school-based program provides prevention education sessions for males and females in grades 6 through 12, with gender-specific curricula available. Participants are not recruited for the program. Instead, teachers typically call and request that the program be delivered to their classes.
Medium used to convey message
The director, Kelly Parsley, visits elementary, middle, and high schools across the United States to present a curriculum called “Walking in the Lion’s Den.” She also does a presentation titled “Men Can Stop Rape.”
She uses two different curricula, one for boys and one for girls. The program for girls deals with ways to be safer. The one for boys deals with taking the responsibility to end rape.
Goals, objectives, and desired outcomes
The basic goal of the program is to provide outreach to 1,000 students per year. Program staff strive to make participants feel slightly uncomfortable and to challenge them to think about the lessons.
Theoretical/ scientific basis for the approach
The program has a basis in Marxist theory. (Marxism, a theory of government advocated by Karl Marx, promotes a classless society in which resources are shared and owned by all.) The Friendship Center’s program has been very successful at raising awareness. The college is a Catholic campus, and the general belief prior to the inception of the project was that rape does not exist. This program has helped change that perception.
Level of evaluation
The program includes basic post-test evaluations at the conclusion of each presentation. Three questions are asked: (1) What did you learn? (2) What do you wish the presenters would have done differently? (3) What do you want to change about the program?
The program has been in existence for 6 years. There has not been any formal evaluation of the program as a whole; however, its accomplishments are documented in student testimonials.
Staff capacity
The presentations are delivered by the director, who is occasionally accompanied by a student intern. The director and the intern are the only staff. The director has a master’s degree in English from Penn State University, has 5 years of research experience, and has conducted conference presentations. The program is currently funded by CDC, through a block grant distributed by the Department of Health and Human Services, but this funding source has not been very stable.