Protecting Our Children Program
A Ministry of Catholic Charities – Social Concerns
Individuals looking to exploit children sexually are hiding in plain sight. They could be men, women, or even their peers. Social media and gaming apps remain one of the top platforms that groomers use to target their victims.
Protecting Our Children is a three-part curriculum developed for middle school-aged youth. It empowers youth and their caregivers to recognize grooming patterns and how they can keep themselves safe while online or in face-to-face interactions. More importantly, the program is designed to help youth remember they are worthy of authentic love and never to accept substitutes.
POC Covers the Following
- The difference between authentic love and counterfeit love.
- The importance of developing our identity in relation to God.
- The negative impact of false identities based on lies and deceptions.
- A greater understanding of temptation's role in our lives and the gift of our free will.
- The common vulnerabilities that predators look to exploit.
- Discussions on illusion vs. reality.
- An understanding of what sextortion, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking are?
- Understand the potential dangers of all Social Media Apps and Gaming Apps.
- The 7 Stages of Grooming.
- What they should do if they find themselves in unhealthy situations.
Download the Flyer
For more information on how to schedule Protecting Our Children for your school, please contact:
Theresa Chamblee
Director of Social Concerns
Catholic Charities
Archdiocese of Indianapolis
tchamblee@archindy.org
317-236-1404
What Schools Are Saying
"This program reaches students at their core. It really drives home the definition of authentic love and the fact that we were all made to be treated with respect."
- Kristen Mitchell - Teacher - St. Charles Catholic School
"The Protecting Our Children program not only helped open the eyes of my students to the dangers they could encounter online any day, but it also reinforced the idea of authentic love and why they do matter. It's not just a scare tactic. It shows them who they are in God's eyes and why that's worth keeping safe. It made lessons I've taught in religion class click in a different, real-life way."
- Rachel Gahret - Teacher - St. Mark Catholic School
"Theresa Chamblee delivers a powerful and essential program on human trafficking for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, equipping young people with crucial knowledge. Her engaging and honest approach resonates deeply with teenagers, making a difficult topic relatable and understandable. Theresa skillfully highlights potential traps, empowering these beautiful teens to be aware and make safe choices."
- Sr. Nicolette Etienne
- Teacher - Holy Name School
"This program is full of information that is important to adults and students alike, but my favorite takeaway is the important conversations it starts. So many students go home and discuss what they learn with their parents/adults, and this is when awareness and preparedness really begin to grow.
- Christy Russell-Read - Teacher - Our Lady of Perpetual Help
"It is my pleasure to recommend Theresa Chamblee for any opportunity that allows her to continue educating and advocating on behalf of human dignity, internet safety, and the protection of children. Theresa has visited Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School on multiple occasions, speaking to both parents and students with clarity, compassion, and conviction. Her presentations on internet dangers, human trafficking, and the dignity of each human person are rooted in truth and delivered with deep respect for the families she serves. She approaches difficult topics with a pastoral heart and a deep commitment to Catholic social teaching. Her work is not only informative, it is transformative. I highly recommend her as a speaker and partner in forming students and families to live with virtue, awareness, and courage in today’s digital world."
- Tim Fletcher - Principal - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School
"This program brought essential awareness to our students of dangers many of them did not know existed. It also created a safe space where students felt more comfortable than normal to disclose situations or problems they are already encountering. We are so grateful for this program and the impact it has had for our students!"
- Jen Kocher - Principal - St. Mark Catholic School
What Youth Are Saying
"I learned that all our decisions stay with us and can shape us. We have not to let the bad ones shape who we are because we are the sum of the good love from God and not our mistakes."
~ 8th Grade Girl
"Thanks for teaching me about self-love and valuing myself. I learned that God is love. I am not made for failure and mistakes, but to be loved by God."
~ 8th Grade Boy
"Something that stood out to me during the lesson is that we all have worth and we all matter, even when we don’t feel like it."
~ 8th Grade Girl
"I learned how sextortion is a huge crime."
~ 8th Grade Boy
"I learned that sex trafficking is right in front of you in plain sight. That makes me want to be careful about everything I do."
~ 8th Grade Girl
"I like the donuts and that you were so nice and truthful."
~ 8th Grade Boy
"Something that stood out to me and helped me was that God took the time to make me who I am and has a purpose for me."
~ 8th Grade Girl
"Thank you so much for doing this. I don’t think you understand how much I needed this. Words do not define us. We have feelings too!!!"
~ 8th Grade Girl
"I learned that pornography hurts you and not to watch it. Thank you!
~ 8th Grade Boy
"I have not been the best anymore. Just not happy. It's nice to hear I Am Worthy of Love and I can grow to be better."
~ 8th Grade Boy
"The real-life stories that actually happened helped me understand how real these situations are."
~ 8th Grade Girl