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 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.