Since 1999, the Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP) through STEPS to End Family Violence, has embedded social work clinicians in New York City public middle and high schools to provide individual therapy, group support, and school and community-wide training and education designed to educate and respond to all forms of abusive behaviors, including bullying, gender-based violence, and teen dating abuse. RAPP engages young people in both a preventive and interventive capacity to promote healthy relationships on an individual and systemic level.

RAPP is one of the most expansive abuse prevention programs in the United States with a mission of ending relational abuse and promoting healthy relating and communication. The RAPP curriculum educates young people in identifying dynamics of abusive behaviors and working to prevent them from becoming patterns.

As young people enter adolescence – a critical time for identity formation and exploring peer and dating relationships – it is incredibly valuable for teens to have access and support around positive relationship development. Our RAPP Coordinators are singularly committed to engaging and supporting teens using developmentally appropriate, culturally–responsive, survivor-centered, trauma-informed, healing–centered and anti–oppressive practices.

RAPP Offers

• Individual Counseling
• Group Counseling
• Crisis Intervention
• Staff Trainings & Workshops
• Parent Workshops
• Community Presentations
• Classroom Workshops

Workshop Topics

• Teen Relationship Abuse
• Sexual Violence and Consent
• Healthy Relationships
• Bullying & Cyber-bullying
• Mental Health
• Self Care
• 4 I’s of Oppression
• Gender & Sexuality
• Toxic Masculinity
• Communication Styles
• Restorative Practices
• & more

Summer Peer Leadership

Each year, RAPP Coordinators hire students from their school communities for a paid, intensive youth leadership program. Students apply and are hired as Peer Leaders to learn about intimate partner violence, teen dating violence, and how a variety of social issues compound to impact the experience of survivorship. Each RAPP Summer Program culminates in a showcase facilitated for youth, by youth.

Rising Ground’s RAPP is currently partnering with 17 schools in the NYC area:

• Grover Cleveland High School
• High School of Fashion Industries
• Brandeis Campus
• William Taft Educational Campus
• The Beacon School Campus
• Park West Educational Campus
• George Washington Educational Campus
• George Wingate Educational Campus
• Truman High School Campus
• Prospect Heights Educational Campus
• I.S. 228 David A Boody
• Manhattan Center for Science and Math Campus
• Bronx Mathematics Preparatory School
• Middle School 50
• NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies
• Paula Hedbavny School
• Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing & Visual Arts

Contact Us

For more information on RAPP or requests for workshops, please reach out to Director MaryAnn Van Nostrand (mvannostrand@risingground.org).