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Why it Works

Iceberg

Safe School Ambassadors Program Model

The Safe School Ambassadors program is built on an “inside-out” approach to changing school climate, one that relies on the power of students to help stop bullying and violence.

Students see, hear, and know things adults don’t and can intervene in ways that adults can’t.

Understanding this, Community Matters developed the Safe School Ambassadors program to help the students themselves become motivated, able to and active in preventing and stopping mistreatment and other forms of bullying among 4th through 12th grade students.

The Safe School Ambassadors program mobilizes bystanders, but not just any bystanders. The program works because it engages socially-influential, opinion leaders – the students who shape the school norms – from the diverse groups and cliques on campus. These “alpha” leaders are carefully identified and receive training in nonviolent communication and intervention skills to prevent, de-escalate, and stop mistreatment among their peers.

The Safe School Ambassadors program is based on a solid foundation of research and principles that have been validated in the field for many years. There are some important ways that Safe School Ambassadors is unique and differs from other programs:

• Involves the “change-agents” by identifying and recruiting “socially-influential” students. Research shows that these are the students that determine what’s okay and not okay and have the power to change the way young people treat each other.
• It is a skills-based program that equips students with powerful, nonviolent communication and intervention skills so they can speak up and take effective actions when they see their friends and classmates mistreat others.
• Provides structure and support through regularly-scheduled small group meetings of Ambassadors and trusted adults where they discuss their interventions, practice their skills, and receive support for their efforts.
• It is a sustainable model, a year-round program, not just a single-day event, which research has shown has immediate impact as well as lasting change.
• It equips students to defuse potential incidents in the moment, as opposed to conflict resolution programs that require structured meeting, hours or even days after an incident.