Causes: Arms Control & Peace, Crime & Law, Dispute Resolution & Mediation, International, Prison Alternatives

Mission: BayNVC provides NVC trainings to individuals and organizations seeking to improve their ability to relate to others peacefully. Our growth in the last three years to our current size (an organization with a budget of almost $1 million, serving approximately 6,500 people annually) is a testimony to the vast need for NVC learning around the world.  At the same time, through our dissemination of NVC skills, we are fulfilling an especially urgent national and international need for effective social change organizations, and the development of leaders who can communicate across differences towards creating a more peaceful planet. 

Programs: Public Outreach: BayNVC's workshops and weekly classes provide small group learning opportunities. In addition, over twenty practice groups around the Bay Area provide a supportive space for ongoing NVC training. We also offer twelve residential retreats each year that allow for deeper connections and personal growth. Leadership development: The year-long North America NVC Leadership Program supports the development of empathy skills for emerging leaders worldwide. 180 graduates of this program are currently teaching NVC. The Committed NVC Practitioner Program is another long-term (nine-month) program that aims to plant deep roots for social change, geared towards people based in the Bay Area. Families: BayNVC offers programs specifically tailored for families. The annual Family Camp includes structured NVC learning with opportunities for families to learn together. Our year-long Parent Peer Leadership Program is supplemented by day-long workshops, all aimed at offering parents and their children the opportunity to learn NVC within a supportive multi-generational community. Therapists: We offer therapists support and education on relating to their clients with empathy and presence with monthly clinics. Through this program, we offer continuing education units (CEUs) for professional certification. Safer Communities: We offer NVC training in jails and prisons towards helping prisoners find more effective ways to meet their needs, and reducing their use of less effective strategies such as violence, crime, drugs and alcohol.