Community Matters, based in Santa Rosa, CA, is a shining example of a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth to create safer, more inclusive school environments. Their mission to stop mistreatment, bullying, and harassment in schools is not only inspiring but truly transformative for the lives of the students they serve. Through their innovative programs, such as the Safe School Ambassadors® program, Community Matters equips young people with the tools, training, and confidence to step up as leaders, creating positive change from within their own peer groups. The organization's commitment to youth empowerment goes far beyond traditional anti-bullying initiatives, as they focus on fostering empathy, respect, and leadership in every student they work with.
What makes Community Matters stand out is the genuine care and passion they bring to their work. Their efforts have helped countless students feel seen, heard, and valued in environments that can often be challenging. The staff and volunteers are dedicated to building strong relationships with schools, parents, and communities, making their impact widespread and lasting. In a time when youth face increasing social pressures, Community Matters offers hope, instilling the belief that students have the power to create safe spaces for themselves and others. Their work is not just about stopping negative behaviors but about building a culture of kindness, inclusion, and mutual respect, and for that, they deserve immense praise.
Community Matters does great work to make schools safer and more welcoming for all students. The dedication of staff and trainers shows through their wonderful trainings and the difference they make on school campuses. The staff provides constant support even after the trainings to make sure schools are able to sustain their programs beyond the trainings. Community Matters is making a huge impact by supporting students and staff to create safe and inclusive school campuses!
I have worked with Community Matters for about a decade relative to bullying prevention and restorative practices in schools, grades 2-12. The work and results are incredibly rewarding. Our evaluations, from staff and students, literally state that the work is “life-changing”. We have seen lives saved by everyday heroes due to the vulnerability and connection the programs generate.
Community Matters has friendly, caring staff that are always willing to go above and beyond in helping out our community! The entire staff are very dedicated to make a difference and work very hard. Their mission is more important now then ever!
Community Matters not only provides a safe and welcoming environment for students to feel safe on campuses, they live and breathe this mission at home as well. This non-profit prioritizes its employees, independent contractors, and volunteers. This mission is potent in every employee and it allows for a diverse and warm aura.
Community Matters is an organization that brings a wealth of services and programs to schools in an effort to make kids feel safe, valued, and supported among their peers, staff, and admin. They've been doing this work for 20+ years, and are invaluable to the communities they work in. They are essential in helping kids feel empowered.
Working with Community Matters (CM) for our Sonoma County schools has been transformational. The programs they offer and help implement in our schools and community are inclusive, relevant, and help promote and sustain safety, connectedness, and trust. I have worked with CM for over a year and have been extremely impressed with their programs, their follow through, and their ability to make a difference with vetted programs that are research-based. Most recently we worked with CM to help support the Safe School Ambassador Program in our county middle and high schools. Their delivery of services was impeccable, their ability to build/sustain relationships with each of their clients is admirable, and their staff is kind, fun, and dedicated. I know that our schools and our students feel safer due to their work and that our youth has a guiding light to follow when participating in their programs. I would recommend any organization to work with them!
Community Matters is a life-changing organization that has helped me to succeed in various areas of life. I was trained as a part of their Safe School Ambassador Program in 6th Grade, and served as an ambassador throughout middle school and high school. This program taught me to affect change within my sphere of influence in order to promote positive school climates. By creating a safer school environment, my peers and I were able to succeed in and out of the classroom. When students feel unsafe, they cannot learn. However, Community Matters is working to improve school communities and help everyone to feel safe and be safe.
Community Matters has done amazing work in the school districts I’ve worked with! The kids learning how to better communicate and are standing up to bullying while creating a better environment for the whole school. I hear the trainings for staff and admins is really great too to help everyone be able to better respond to problems in the school. It’s a great choice for many school districts because of its sustainable model and year round support given after training the students. Highly recommend Community Matters for and school out there!
I have seen this group at work! They are focused, professional, and more than anything, care about our kids in schools! They teach real life skills to kids, and staff/teachers, to make school the safer place that it should be. I learned something that I could even take home to my own child, and I use it with her all the time! Knowing how to take what they teach you and bring it to your every day life is like a gift to kids, schools, and honestly, every day life!
I couldn't recommend this group more highly!!
I worked with Community Matters as their Office Coordinator for 12 years. I retired in 2020, just as the Covid shutdowns started happening. When I left, I was so afraid that the organization wouldn't survive the closing of schools. I am so impressed with the staff's drive and ingenuity. They quickly started developing trainings that could happen via Zoom. With a skeleton crew, they managed to persevere and are now up and running with a full staff. Our children will continue to benefit from the amazing trainings that they are now able to attend in person. Great job CM. I am so proud to have been a part of your crew.
Community Matters has been a fantastic partner in our efforts to engage and empower our students to have agency in their school culture and social norms. Their trainers are knowledgeable, relatable, and inspirational.
I became involved with Community Matters a few years ago after learning about the great work of this organization during a Santa Rosa, CA Chamber of Commerce Leadership Fellowship. The non-profit was founded in response to the epidemic of school shootings and violence in recent decades here in the U.S., focusing on creating a safer, more supportive school culture through such programs as the 'Safe School Ambassadors' which seeks to create 'upstanders' vs. 'bystanders' to school bullying that can lead to such tragic consequences. The organization now provides programming throughout the U.S. as well as internationally, providing programming to students in elementary, junior and senior high school, as well as to teachers, administrators and community members. I was so inspired by their work, and the leadership of their current CEO, Erica Vogel, that I was thrilled to join the Board of Directors this past year.
I have worked as a trainer in the Safe School Ambassadors Program of Community Matters since 2006 and have trained in schools across the country. One of the things that always make this work so worth-while is watching the moments during which young people in Elementary, Middle and High Schools recognize that they have the power to be agents of change and are building the needed skills. Last year, during a training, I met a young teacher who had, himself, been an Ambassador when he was in High School His story of how being an Ambassador changed his life was motivating to the students and a testament to the program.
The work being completed at Community Matters is more important today than ever before, our kids are facing more and more violence and bullying in their schools than at any other time in our recent history. This organization is committed to providing tools to empower students to drive a healthier culture for their campus. I proudly endorse this exceptional non-profit organization. Community Matters is dedicated to improving the social-emotional climate in schools and communities across the nation, with a strong track record of success.
Our flagship program, the Safe School Ambassadors Program, empowers students to actively shape their school environments, leading to a significant reduction in bullying and violence.
Having worked with over 2,000 schools, agencies, and organizations across the U.S. and beyond, Community Matters has made a lasting impact on countless lives. Our efforts have garnered media recognition and inspired audiences at all levels.
Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, Community Matters is more than just an organization; it's a transformative force committed to creating safer, more inclusive environments for our youth and communities. Join us in supporting this remarkable non-profit as we continue to make a positive impact on our world.
Community Matters provides programs to our schools that benefit all students and staff. Their Safe School Ambassadors program gives students skills they can use to support their peers and create a positive impact on the social climate. This program benefits not only the students in the program but the entire school population. Highly recommended.
Community Matters aims to improve school climate by training youth to stand up to bullying and violence. I have seen firsthand how our Safe School Ambassadors program has a positive impact on the students and administrators. I joined the Board this year because I believe in the work and want to see our youth have a positive school environment.
Community Matters cultivates what it means to be a mission-driven organization. The depths of the positive impacts can be seen from their Safe School Ambassadors program, Restorative Practices trainings, along with other programs offered. Through CM's connection-building approach, they have succeeded in helping schools/communities foster a safer, more inclusive climate for everyone.
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I recently had the opportunity to help with a Safe School Ambassadors training at my local middle school and I was impressed with the impact it had on the students. The first day was more academic as far as laying the groundwork the program, and the second day was the application of the skills learned from the first day. The students were very bought in and empowered through the leadership skills they acquired. One student blatantly said, "oh this is actually really cool." The running of the program allowed a safe space for students to be vulnerable and talk about personal things without judgement. The other students active listening seemed to receive their experiences well and have a deeper understanding/connection as a result. It was inspiring to see a group of 12-13 year olds so eager to influence their school climate for the better. The trainer and the teachers facilitating were also awesome and connected really well with the students.
Having safe school ambassadors at our school, Kawana Elementary, has been such a great experience. Our students like taking on the role and take it seriously. We are glad to be able to participate!
I learned about Community Matters a few years ago through a friend. I am an Auntie who worries for the youth of our times. I was happy to hear about the Safe School Ambassador programs which were being taught and trained nationwide. This gave me such hope, in what has seemed like a continuous trend of unsafe behavior and violence in schools and our communities. It is truly programs like this that can empower students, parents, educators & community members to reclaim their schools as safe, nurturing environments, leading students with the tools to navigate the ever changing world and to lead by shining their inclusive compassion and strength to strive for safety and building community. Recently the opportunity arose to join the fantastic team at Community Matters. The whole team is kind, knowledgable, and passionate about the mission and vision of this organization. I am grateful for the opportunity to be of service; I look forward to learning, growing and being another member of a team who is participating in some of the most important work for our children and communities.
I love Community Matters. Through my volunteer work at another agency, I came across Community Matters. They work to prevent school violence by making sure students have a safe, comfortable, and healthy environment to learn in. I love the idea that it makes schools safer for my child and yours! Who wants to hear about another school incident, or see their child scared because of Shooter Drills...not me! Their programs help to give all students a voice, and a power at their school, to make it the kind of place that school should be - a great place outside of home! If one teacher, or staff person, or another student can make another feel welcome and safe, and they pass the same along, imagine what the domino effect can be around out communities - and world!
I highly recommend supporting this organization and letting them into your community!
My son was trained as a Safe School Ambassador, and the change it has caused in him and at his school is truly amazing. He feels empowered to stand up for his friends and classmates in safe and effective ways. Other students have started to see him as a leader and follow his example of kindness and empathy which in turn has increased his self-confidence and boosted his connection with the school. I am so proud of the work he has done as an Ambassador and so grateful he was recruited to be a part of this program.
I have interacted with Community Matters for over 2.5 years, and I have nothing but good things to say about the org. The members are all so welcoming and encouraging, and truly want every person on the team to succeed. Furthermore, they are very successful in positively impacting students through their trainings. Overall this is not only a great org to work with, but to also partner with.
I joined the Board of Community Matters a few months ago because I love the idea that we can impact the climate of a school environment by empowering students and helping them find their voice. As a parent of two boys, I know students are far more willing to listen to peers than to teachers and school administrators. Not only do the programs provided make a difference in schools today, but participants gain skills they can utilize over their lifetime in higher education, business and personal relationships.
This program of Community Matters, in the midst of such challenging times pertaining to mental health needs, alienation and isolation after coming out of COVD, is literally saving our young people's lives by opening their empathic, emotional intelligence to help kids who are often harassed feel welcome. This is done by teaching thousands of youth in K-12 schools how to open their hearts and keep them open by learning very specific skills to change their schools' climates. Community Matters and their Safe School Ambassadors program is literally shifting school cultures during multi-layered, complicated times in our school institutions nationally.
I have been working as a Trainer for the Safe School Ambassadors Program since 2006 and have trained at hundreds of schools across the USA and in Guam and Canada. One consistent element of the program that keeps me connected to this work is the way it allows students to recognize that they have the power to change the school climate. See participants move from Bystanders to Upstanders is an incredible experience.
My name is Keith Hickman, Executive Director for Collective Impact at the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP). I have had the professional pleasure to partner with Community Matters on several K-12 initiatives on improving school climate and culture around the country. Community Matters applies a whole-school approach to integrate restorative practices and social and emotional learning into their Safe School Ambassadors Program. The combination of theory, practice, and leadership development is an inclusive approach that empowers students with support from their administrators and teachers, to solve the wicked problems associated with bullying and school violence. Community Matters is one of the community-based organizations officially trained to facilitate restorative practices in schools and community. Since 2015, IIRP and Community Matters have worked to restore the dignity inside of schools around the country. Rick Phillips, founder, and former Executive Director, remains a close colleague and friend of IIRP. Under his vision for Community Matters, the executive leadership team and their staff continue to be the gold standard in bullying prevention and community engagement.
Community Matters in an amazing Non-Profit focused on improving school's climate from the inside out. The methods of bullying and violence prevention are proven and the work CM does works and makes a difference!
I originally began working with Community Matters as part of Safe School Ambassadors at Piner High School. Since then I have gotten the privilege to have been able to work with and participate in many events through Community Matters, one of them being their annual Youth Upstander event. Now as a board member, 2022 will mark four years of my journey in Community Matters and I look forward to hopefully more years. The staff are above and beyond and ensure everyone's needs are taken care of. The strong coordination in this nonprofit is reflected not only through the intensive amount of work placed behind the scenes but as well in all their retention which occurs in their community events.
My experience with Community Matters was when I was a central office administrator in the Waco Independent School District in Waco, TX. Their Safe School Ambassadors program was an integral part of our Suspend Kids to School Program. SSA was critical to our success in reducing exclusionary discipline, reducing suspensions and expulsions. It is an amazing program that trains young people to speak up and intervene when they see a problem or a student being bullied or victimized. It creates permission for and encourages students to be peacemakers and to de-escalate potential problems. The training and ongoing support was critical to our long term success. It harnesses the power positive peer can make on a campus. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Community Matters has been a staple for providing educators, students and families with the tools for creating safe school environments. Their ability to relate and connect with various educational communities, assess and meet the needs is powerful. I'm proud to be a part of the community and support CM's continued growth and outreach.
Community Matters has provided support nationwide for issues that are faced by so many youth, Bullying and Inclusivity! The staff are passionate, the programs are brilliant, and they really make a difference. As a former non-profit manager, I can attest to the Community Matters high level of integrity and creativity in addressing this very difficult issue.
Additionally, with schools closing during the pandemic, the Executive director and her team were able to pivot and provide online support to schools across the US.
One last point, both of my daughters were Safe School Ambassadors. The skills they learned are still applicable to this day some 15 years later.
Their mission: "To equip and empower students and adults to create schools and communities that are safe, welcoming and inclusive." is greatly needed in our world today, the curriculum is very relevant.
Leadership training beyond the classroom is pivotal in creating the leaders of tomorrow. The Community Matters’ Safe School Ambassador Program provides students the skills and techniques to be leaders in their school and in their community. They become inspirational role models for their classmates and learn to be change managers for their campus culture. They grow in confidence and develop the knowledge that they can make a difference. Thanks to Community Matters; their commitment to our youth is developing the leaders of tomorrow.
Love the org, the people, and their work. Founder, Rick Phillips, and CEO Erica Vogel are true committed, community partners! Dovetail Learning appreciates their generative spirit and living out their mission for students and schools as professionals.
Community Matters has inspired me! Kindness is possible even in a high school, and it's trainable.It is a model for what can be done nationally and globally in and outside of schools.
The work at Community Matters is a foundational must for our children and our larger communities teaching necessary skills to ensure a safer tomorrow. This organization takes a holistic approach in helping participants to build a climate of connection and respect. This approach starts in schools with students and staff, while also integrates the larger support structure of families and community offering a sustainable solution to violence reduction vs. short term fixes. By advocating and facilitating restorative practices which allow participants to learn from their mistakes, they encourage growth, compassion, and forgiveness that changes the social structure of the culture leading to sustainable outcomes. The instructors, staff, and executive leadership are all dedicated to the mission of Community Matters and truly wish to make the world a better place.
Community Matters is a wonderful organization! Their mission to create safer, more welcoming and inclusive schools is more important than ever. You can count on their skilled team to empower students and staff with specific tools to prevent bullying and mistreatment. In a world where it's easy to feel increasingly uneasy about school safety, Community Matters can help the school you work at or the school your kids attends to create the kind of school climate that all children deserve.
Community Matters is a great organization and a wonderful asset to our community. Their staff is great to work with and the training content is so important!
I have worked as a committee member supporting out reach and branding for a number of years. in that capacity i have gained significant insight on the valuable resources and how effective Community-Matters programs have been. the cultural change they help foster not only supports the reduction of bullying/harassment but in the long run helps create better citizens of our youth...more caring, more empathetic, more sensitive to those struggling with life. This is a tremendous organization, one i am proud to support.
Community Matters is a fantastic organization with a dedicated staff that is passionate about keeping our schools safe. I highly recommend their programs for improving school climate. It has been an honor to assist them in bringing their message to California’s schools.
COVID-19 increased students to more and more risk factors while simultaneously reducing access to resources and programs that mitigate risk factors. Perpetrators of school shootings report bullying as a trigger to their violent actions. Stopping the spread of the virus, returning to school, and recovering economically from this horrible situation is thankfully happening now, but we have an urgent evolving and complex new threats to vulnerable populations, like our students, that requires very special interventions. The recent Dept. of Homeland Security Public Awareness Bulletin, U.S. Secret Service Report on Averting School Attacks, and the National Threat Advisory System Elevated Threat Alert tell us that action is needed. Thankfully, the San Francisco Bay Area has Community Matters to help bring their specialty programs to our Bay Area schools . Community Matters has worked for years to build rigorous, evidenced-based, student-centered programming that prevents bullying and mitigates these complex risk factors. Coupled with their leadership, expert staff, collaborative and community-driven approach, Community Matters is best in class. Community Matters serves as a key solution to our School Threat Assessment and Management Teams and is now an essential part of the Bay Area's Local Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Framework. Upstream, early interventions like their Safe School Ambassadors and VoiceUp programs help at-risk youth, have cascading societal benefits, and save lives.
I have witnessed Community Matters making immediate positive changes to students' self esteem and social skills. Being told they are capable, worthy and necessary to the benefit of their peers is ENORMOUS. Students learn social skills and gain compassion for others. It's a beautiful thing and I wish all students had access to CM!
As a trainer for Safe School Ambassadors for 15 years, the story that still stands out for me is from the first training I did in 2006 at a Middle School in California. As we were debriefing an activity in which students shared their experiences with in-school mistreatment, as a target, an aggressor, and/or bystander, one young man said that he felt ashamed to admit some of the ways he had mistreated others. Then he added he also felt good because he realized he didn't have to behave that way any more. That is what the program is all about, empowering youth to create the new social norm.
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I have been a trainer for Safe School Ambassadors since 2006, and yet the story that stands out most for me happened at the very first training I conducted. It was at Middle School in California. After the activity "Crossing the Line," during which students and teachers share experiences about being a target, an aggressor, and/or a bystander in situations of mistreatment, we were talking about feeling that had arises. One boy said: "I felt ashamed of all the times I crossed the line for being an aggressor; but then I felt good because I realized I didn't have to behave that way anymore. I have shared that story in hundreds of trainings I have conducted since. - Mario Cossa, Master Trainer, SSA, Community Matters
As a member of Safe School Ambassadors throughout my high school years I was able to learn tools to keep me aware of bullying and harassment and ways to deescalate situations in a safe way, as well as learn resources that may be able to help. I was also involved with other students from all backgrounds which helped me gain knowledge as well as friends with the same goal as mine to create a safer school environment.
I joined the board of Community Matters in March 2021, and have been extremely impressed with the organization's ability to positively impact places of education. It is absolutely imperative that schools feel safe for students, parents, educators/administrators. Additionally, school should be place where students develop their relationships, identity, emotional skills, and overall well-being. This is more important than ever given the events that have occurred since March 2020, and the added stress that the learning environment put on students, teachers, and parents. Community Matters has been able to adapt and continues to effectively support students and improve their lives.
Community matters serves many schools that I work with. The safe school ambassadors program has redefined culture at these schools. Some schools were unsafe and frequently vandalized but upon implementation of SSA they became model schools with energized students, faculty and engaged parents. I can’t emphasize enough the positive change in student perspective due to this excellent program.
I have worked for Community Matters for 5 years and feel grateful to work with an organization that educates students and school staff, empowering them to be active in creating a connected and caring community on their campuses. The teams of staff members and trainers I work with do amazing work that increases the life and relationship skills of all who participate and embody the practices. Watching this work grow over the years and seeing so many benefit has been inspiring and heart warming.
As a trainer for Community Matters, I train their student led bully prevention program
Safe School Ambassadors. Students learn actions they can use to stop mistreatment when they see it on campus. Many of the actions stop bullying from happening or distract mistreatment from continuing. After training a school for over three years, the counselor at the contacted me to let me know two of the ambassadors I trained used one of the actions from the training I taught them and it stopped a school shooting from happening. It was a profound moment to see the power and impact of a Community Matters program.
I am interning at Community Matters because I think it is important for schools and organizations to have the right trainings to create safe spaces for our youth. It is important to allow safe places for our youth and CM provides the support and trainings that encourage it.
Community Matters is such a jewel for educators and students! I am very proud to be able to share that I have been working at Community Matters for 3 years. Daily I take such pride in my work, being part of such a dedicated team of professionals, working together with strength to empower youth voice, increase quality of learning environments, and being a reliable partner for educators.
Empowering students to be upstanders and supporting educators are crucial responsibilities of ours that are needed now more than ever.
Big shout out to all the dedicated educators working exceptionally hard to make students experiences excellent!
A caring, close-knit group of dedicated professionals serving our nations school staff and the SEL needs of our students. Mission-driven, heartfelt and rewarding work!
Safe School Ambassadors enable students to make positive choices for themselves and friends. There's an equity of voice, and SSA harnesses the power of our youth to make that tremendous difference in our community.
I have had the honor and privilege of working for Community Matters for last decade. The Community Matters mission is so completely aligned with my life's work in the education and positive youth development fields. Empowering kids to be the leaders we want and need them to be in the future with skills that equip them to make a difference in their communities is so important.
Not only do I get to do work I am passionate about, but I also have the opportunity to work with some of the best people I could ask for. The Community Matters team (staff, trainers, volunteers, partners, and donors) is full of fun loving, caring, dedicated and very talented people.
Since my very first introduction to Community Matters over 10 years ago I was impressed and amazed at the incredible commitment of the staff and trainers who work with young people and educators. Not only were they skillful in their practice, it was their incredible enthusiasm and experience in delivering the services that won me over. They walked their talk and put their passion for waking up the courage of young people, front and center. I entered the doors as a volunteer, then a staff member and now a trainer. I couldn't be prouder to represent such a worthwhile organization or to belong to such a dedicated, heartfelt, compassionate group of individuals.
As a high school student, I was trained as a safe school ambassador which taught me and fellow classmates how to support and empower our school and classmates at risk of abuse. They truly helped bring a more balanced and peaceful environment to my school.
To help public safety and stop the shooting and people getting killed cause there is no more protection in the public event such as big malls
I learned of this nonprofit through a friend and was able to participate in their latest fundraiser. What a treat....I was inspired and moved. The stories the children shared, who have gone through the community matters training were powerful and I hope their stories reach the general public- you can't ignore the impact they are having. Thank you Community Matters for doing the work you are doing.
Community Matters was a huge part of my childhood and now a part of my sibling’s. Everyone who works at CM has a huge heart and a passion unmatched by anyone I’ve ever met. They are dedicated to everyone they serve and are always looking to expand their reach to anyone who needs it. Even into adulthood they have brought me endless laughs and positive experiences and I am so excited that they continue to be a part of my life as they influence my littles!
This is one of the best organizations I have come across both in the passion behind the objectives and the impact it has on those it is working to help. It has an extensive reach across the country and internationally, and is completely focused on the prosperity of our youth. It runs completely on the support of the communities and its employees and has been a mainstay in so many school systems over the years. The ability of this particular group to create real change in the lives of kids is to be commended. The Safe School Ambassadors program, which teaches students skills to help prevent violence and bullying in our schools that occurs everyday, is an amazing endeavor!
It is inspiring to hear the stories of the youth that Community Matters has empowered to stand up against bullying. I have listened to youth ambassadors share their learned interventions and courageous actions. Safe School Ambassadors is evidence based and the learnings of this program help grow respectful, caring and responsible members of our communities.
Community Matters is an excellent non-profit with a mission to improve school cultures from the inside out to provide safety and security for our children. The organization is expertly run and the mission is truly wonderful. 5 stars!
Community Matters, matters!
Seeing the change in school climate by having the SSA program in a school is priceless. They are helping kids become productive and caring adults. Live by the mantra "always be a part of something bigger".
Community Matters does important work in helping students of all ages and the adults in their school to create a safe and nurturing environment. Learning how to intervene when they see bullying is a tool that changes the lives of the victim , witnesses and the perpetrator.
It has given me tools and courage to intervene responsibly.
We are in the midst of our fourth year of operating a district wide Safe School Ambassador program. In my opinion, all districts should adopt an anti-bullying program, whether it is the SSA program or a different program. RBUSD has embraced the SSA program developed by Community Matters and it has been a great addition to the students of our school district. Every year we have over 400 students receive a powerful two day training to introduce them to the SSA program. Year by year these students are moving through the grade levels from elementary, to middle, and then to high school. Our students begin to learn about the effects of bullying and what they can do to help. Many students no longer feel hopeless and helpless to end the cycle of bullying. Students are given tools to respond to bullying that they can use throughout their lives. For those of you who may be contemplating adopting the SSA program I would say the following: take action, do not wait until an extreme incident occurs in your district, do the right thing, and do not be a bystander.
The Safe School Ambassadors Program has become part of the foundation of our Safe Schools Initiative. Over the past 8 years, we have expanded the program to almost all of our middle and high schools. The student approach has lead to some wonderful outcomes as kids begin to really take on concern for their peers. As the district coordinator for the program, I continue to be both a support and an advocate for the SSA Program.
As a County Office of Education Prevention Programs Coordinator it has been my honor to work closely with Community Matters staff for almost two decades. From Community Matters founder Rick Phillips to all of the trainers and staff, we have always found their level of professionalism and support to be of the highest caliber. We have engaged with Community Matters to do the 24 Hour Relay Challenge to support youth development programs like peer helpers, Friday Night Live and Safe School Ambassadors.
For over 10 years we have worked closely with Community Matters staff and trainers to do initial training sessions and follow up support for the Safe School Ambassadors program, including a close partnership to conduct training of trainers for a group of local SSA trainers. The Community Matters staff are always helpful, friendly and fully engaged to offer support for our school safety efforts. This collaborative partnership has truly helped us to engage youth as leaders to keep their schools safe.
The Community Matters Safe School Ambassadors program has been an integral part of our school district's comprehensive diversity awareness initiative. Started at one of our schools in 2006, the successful program is now at eleven of our sites. CM has supported our efforts by providing trainers, instructional materials and refresher workshops. Our District has received multiple regional and State awards for its diversity and anti-bullying efforts, and CM has been a major partner with us.
Community Matters Safe School Ambassadors Program was introduced to our school district four years ago in one school. Today we have it in 21 schools. Their program is unique and innovative. Their facilitators are extremely talented and engage students and staff with skill and enthusiasm. This is not your standard Power Point presentation with a handout. This is a well-designed, interactive two-day whirlwind that will change the lives of many of your students. Ask them to visit a training session. You will want it in your school!
In October 2012 as part of our regional "Anti-bullying" programs with schools, the representatives of Community Matters presented to our local representatives. Their "common sense" and methodical approach was well received and at least two of our Western Pennsylvania schools are interested to hear more!
In October of 2012, I had the pleasure of hosting a Safe Schools Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This conference was strategically aligned with National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month and National Cyber Security Month. My overarching goal was to provide conference attendees with Subject Matter Experts from the Public, Private and Non-Profit Sectors, to create new levels of awareness and potential solutions to the growing epidemic of bullying in schools, homes and in the workplace .
After intense research and thoughtful consideration, I decided to contact Community Matters to see if they would be willing to serve as a representative from the Non-Profit sector. In working collaboratively with William Grace Frost (Director of Strategic Operations - Community Matters) I discussed the need to secure a speaker from their Instructor Cadre. In planning this conference, I knew I wanted one of the presenters to share insight about the "Financial Impacts of Bullying", which is rarely discussed. I was pleasantly suprised to hear that Rick Phillips (Founder and Executive Director), was willing to travel from the West Coast to the East Coast (greater than 2500 miles), and would underwrite the costs of travel and lodging to support this effort. That type of dedication in the provision of community outreach is exemplary of the pearls of wisdom shared by Ghandi ... "Be the change that you wish to see in this world". Some Non-Profits "write" a mission statement, Community Matters - lives their mission.
Community Matters is a solutions based organization, which continues to have a positive impact throughout the United States and beyond. The entire team at Community Matters works tirelessly to promote the mission and goals of "their" organization. This is evidenced through their passion, dedication and committment in their ongoing develpment of strategic initiatives and community outreach which serves to change the world in which we live.
Carol Adams
Community Matters' cost effective proven programs create a fundamental shift that is so necessary in our culture: inspiring young people to stand up against violence and abusive behavior whenever they see it taking place. The organization has an innovative approach, working with alpha students from every social "clique" so that impacts of the program diffuse through the entire school population from the inside-out, that is, starting with students. The whole school climate shifts to become safer and more welcoming for all, with significantly reduced suspensions, abusive incidents, and resulting costs.
I've worked as Executive Director of an arts non-profit doing music outreach to K-12 students, and currently work extensively with another successful non-profit focused on teen leadership. I've seen the huge difference it makes to reach young people with a well-honed life-affirming message. Community Matters delivers life-changing impacts that transform students into leaders and peacemakers for the rest of their lives.
Community Matters represents a critically important initiative to provide real and sustainable programs designed to mitigate bullying and violence in our schools. This "inside-out" approach is without question the best, and I think, only viable and feasible manner in which we can hope to truly impact significant numbers of our nation's children and public education institutions. It enables kids to impact the essential culture of their schools by empowering their natural inclination to step up and "do the right thing", exercising with courage their natural sense of fairness and equity. What we desperately need now is the will of adult leadership to provide the meager intellectual and financial support to replicate the growing number of successful Safe School Ambassador programs across the country.
As a risk managment services provider to hundreds of school districts across the Country, I have encountered numerous programs designed to positivley impact school violence. Sadly many turned out to be nothing more than a revenue stream for the provider. Community Matters and the Safe School Ambassadors program stand out as highly effective student centered solutions that are incredibly affordable. Simply put Safe Schools Ambassadors empoers our children to be the solution to school violence.
After working in the risk management field for the past 25 years I find it highly unusual to find an organization like Community Matters that is so in-tune with the needs of our public schools. What is refreshing is that the prevention philosophy held by the organization is applyed with such accuracy and practicality. Furthermore, the level of service from top to bottom has been extreemly professional. I would highly recommned that Community Matters be incorporated into any distircts strategic risk planning.