The WITS Program was developed in Victoria BC in response to an alarming increase in youth violence. Targeted at K to Grade 3, this program is designed to give younger children the information they need to make safe and positive choices when faced with situations involving threats, violence or aggressive behavior. Rock Solid believes that it is important that children are taught as young as possible the best way to deal with situations that could grow violent - so their reactions will be automatic when they get a little older. Similar to the "Stop, Drop & Roll" if you are on fire, students will learn to "Walk away and tell an adult, Ignore and tell an adult, Talk it out and tell an adult, and Seek help", if they are confronted with an aggressive situation.
The program is brought into classrooms five times each school year via community role models such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics and athletes. At each visit, the community role model will remind the child of the WITS acronym and ask 'who has used their WITS?' The child will receive a 'gift' at each visit: ruler, pencil, reflective safety sticker, each bearing the WITS acronym. Each child will also take home two information pamphlets (Using Your WITS At Home & Cyberbullying) in order to take the WITS message into home and community. The school will also receive books, manuals, posters, etc. to integrate the WITS strategy into the daily life at school.
Studies conducted by researchers at the University of Victoria have proven the WITS Program to be effective at reducing peer aggression.
