Programs & Services

Featured Program

Safe School Ambassadors

25,000 students in 650 schools across North America stopping bullying and violence every day

Our Approach

Since 1996 we have been developing and delivering high quality programs and services for schools and other youth-serving organizations. What uniquely qualifies us:

Youth-centered solutions – youth are powerful and uniquely positioned to solve problems in ways adults can’t, so we mobilize and equip them to take positive action.
A partner not a vendor – we take time to understand the organizations we serve, customize our programs and provide ongoing coaching and support.
Positive return on investment and sustainable change. We blend current research with field experience to create practical solutions that produce measurable results and sustainable, systemic change.

Core Programs

Safe School Ambassadors

The nation’s most effective youth-centered program to reduce bullying and violence. More than 25,000 students in hundreds of schools have shown that this research-based program creates a climate that promotes academic excellence and positive interactions. Read about it.

We provide similar programs for smaller schools.

Safer Schools Symposium

This one-day Symposium brings together high-level decision-makers of a city, county, or region, the leaders best positioned to become partners, funders and advocates. It presents the latest research and “best-practice” strategies for empowering youth to reduce bullying and violence in their schools and neighborhoods. Learn More

Parent Workshop

This engaging, informative and skill-based two-hour session helps parents/guardians work with their children and school staff to improve communication, student interactions and school climate. Find out how

Staff Development

Our two-pronged strategy helps staff members notice the pervasive student mistreatment that erodes school climate but isn’t apparent to most adults. It helps them strengthen their relationship and intervention skills, which promotes trust, breaks the code of silence, and improves school climate. Get details

Positive Climate Staff Development Modules’ Training-of-Trainers

Community Matters developed the Positive School Climate (PSC) Modules in a format that includes a Training-of-Trainers (TOT) workshop. This TOT equipes district and school site staff with the knowledge and resources to conduct the Modules for their colleagues. Get details

Keynotes and Presentations

Dynamically delivered and customized to your organization’s audience and objectives. Topics include “Building Safer Schools from the Inside Out,” “From Bystanders to Peacemakers: Empowering Youth to Stop Bullying and Violence,” and other aspects of violence prevention and youth development. Get more information

Youth Summit

This one-day event brings diverse and influential youth together to discuss significant issues such as racial tensions, gang involvement, drugs and alcohol, bullying and violence. Participants overcome stereotypes, openly share their views, generate recommendations, and step up to work with adults to implement solutions. Read more

Connect & Respect

For smaller schools, this one-day program provides students and faculty with the skills and experiences to challenge stereotypes about one another and build more positive relationships, which reduces mistreatment and improves the overall social-emotional climate. Find out how

“Safe School Ambassadors offers an innovative and practical approach to decreasing violence in schools…”
Deepak Chopra

“The Safe School Ambassadors program has provided us with a well-designed student-to-student initiative that has made a positive difference in over 30 of our district’s schools.”
Alison Adler, Ed.D., Chief, Safety & Learning Environment, School District of Palm Beach County, FL

“…valuable BIG picture view of the school district and city…student presentations were impressive… provided a great opportunity to develop ideas and network into action plans… very motivating.”
Safer Schools Symposium Participants

“I knew I wanted to break the old mold of keynote ‘speeches’ and move our participants into a different mode. You made it happen. . . . Thank you for a great energizer and motivating keynote."
Starla Jewell-Kelley, Executive Director, National Community Education Association

“…an eye-opening day… everyone participated and came together to find solutions for a very important problem facing our schools ”
Youth Summit Participants