Elk Grove Township Combats Bullying in Local Schools, Promotes Self-Empowerment

Elk Grove Township's Youth and Family Services Department has been serving township residents since 1972 and offers a variety of services to the community including counseling, parenting seminars, leadership development, life skills and social skills groups.

Bullying Prevention

The Youth and Family Services Department has partnered with D59 to teach students how to recognize and deal with bullying when it occurs at school, at home or in the community.

"Students need to see that our schools and community are physically and emotionally safe places," said Clinical Director of the Township's Youth and Family Services Department Dean Reschke. "That is why the Township and D59 have proactively partnered to give kids the tools they need to create a safe culture for themselves."

Through group activities, role plays, and discussion, students learn to recognize different types of bullying, and what to do if it happens to them, or if they see it happening to others. After participating in the Township's bullying prevention programs, surveys have shown that students feel safer and better equipped to handle bullying if it occurs.

Girls Empowerment Groups

Youth and Family Services also offers girls empowerment groups through the Challenge Program, either on-site at the Township's Youth Services building, or at D59 schools. These groups help girls to strengthen self-esteem and self-perception, as well as promote awareness and give them tools on how to be resilient in negative situations and circumstances.

"By the end of each group, every girl has found her own voice and is better able to be the 'captain of her own ship', instead of being a passenger to forces outside of themselves," said Challenge Program Coordinator Renee Dorn.

The Elk Grove Township Youth and Family Services Department also offers individual, couples and family counseling.

For more information, contact the Youth and Family Services Department at 847-981-0373, or visit Elkgrovetownship.com/youth-family-services.

ABOUT ELK GROVE TOWNSHIP:

The mission of Elk Grove Township is to carry out the duties and responsibilities of Township government as prescribed by Illinois law. The ways in which these goals are accomplished is by providing assistance to promote the health, safety and welfare of all Township residents, and to maintain the highways and property of the Township both professionally and economically. Additionally, this mission is to be carried out in a timely and efficient manner with the highest degree of service to the taxpayers, thereby empowering people through community in Elk Grove Township.

The boundaries of Elk Grove Township are Central Road on the North; Mount Prospect Road on the East; Devon Avenue on the South; and Rohlwing Road; (generally Route 53) on the West. About 66% of Elk Grove Village is in our Township; 55% of Mount Prospect; 20% of Des Plaines; 15% of Arlington Heights and 10% of Rolling Meadows. About one-fourth of the geographic area of the Township is unincorporated, a large portion of which is in the Ned Brown Preserve, also known as Busse Woods located in Elk Grove Village.