Creating Responsive Communities for the Prevention of Peer Victimization
About Us
History of the WITS Programs
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| WITS Co-Creator Tom Woods visits Macaulay Elementary School (Esquimalt, BC) |
WITS Programs Developers |
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The WITS acronym was created at Lampson Street Elementary School in 1993 when Principal Judi Stevenson began teaching students four simple conflict resolution strategies: Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out and Seek help. These were eagerly adopted by teachers, counselors and administrators and soon, "using your WITS" was a common phrase at the Esquimalt, BC school.
After seeing WITS at work, school police liaison Tom Woods sought to broaden its reach. In 1997, he launched the Rock Solid Foundation with a group of local athletes and law enforcement officials.
Its mission? Provide violence prevention programs to children and youth.
Wanting the WITS acronym as part of Rock Solid’s efforts, Woods partnered with Principal Stevenson to develop a WITS Program.
It was a community-based approach. School District 61 teachers and counselors provided input, and University of Victoria psychology professor Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater and her research team signed on in 1998 to contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation.
The simple acronym evolved into the WITS Primary Program – the only peer victimization prevention program that reaches beyond the classroom to involve families and communities.
The Creation of the WITS LEADS Program
As the WITS Primary Program spread to Greater Victoria area schools, a question emerged. Where do older students fit in?
If WITS was meant as a whole school approach to preventing peer victimization, students in Grades 4 to 6 would also need to be included. After all, even at this age, children still need adult help to solve peer problems.
The Rock Solid Foundation and UVic began collaborating with Frank Hobbs and Lake Hill Elementary Schools in Victoria to develop the WITS LEADS Program for students in Grades 4 to 6.
The program reflects the developmental advances which make this age group better able to understand other's perspectives and inner worlds and recognizes them as leaders capable of making their schools and communities safer places for younger children. The acronym stands for a problem-solving approach to peer conflicts: Look and listen, Explore points of view, Act, Did it work? and Seek help.
The program was piloted in 2005 in School District 61 and made widely available in 2006.
The WITS Programs Today
Today, the WITS Programs have spread to more than 300 schools across Canada and the United States, earning endorsements from several authors and organizations.
With the launch of the new WITS website, the release of the WITS Introductory Video as well as the introduction of two online training programs -- the WITS Teacher Accreditation Program and the WITS Training Program for Community Leaders -- it is expected the programs' reach will continue to grow, teaching more and more children across Canada what it means to use their WITS.
This widespread implementation would not have been possible without the generous contributions of many sponsors.
The WITS Programs Logic Model
by Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater
This logic model illustrates how the WITS Programs are intended to lead to enhanced mental health and healthy relationships among elementary school children by outlining the programs' inputs, outputs and outcomes.
