TranslateSafe School Ambassadors
The Safe School Ambassadors (SSA) program has been developed over the past 11 years by Community Matters. The program incorporates established principles of youth development and prevention, as well as emerging research and field experience. The overall goal of the program is to harness the power of youth to improve the social-emotional climate of their school by reducing incidents of bullying, violence and other forms of peer mistreatment.
In the Safe School Ambassadors program, the socially influential opinion leaders of the diverse cliques and interest groups on a school campus are identified, recruited and selected via a precise process involving nominations by staff and students. Through their collective social networks, these Ambassadors have a large sphere of influence on the student population's behaviors, and thus on the climate of the school.
Accepted to the Portfolio: June 2015
Target Outcomes
Short Term Outcomes
- Increased awareness of scope and costs of bullying
- Staff recognize value of students in creating positive climate
- Ambassadors have skills to prevent, stop and report bullying
- Ambassadors have motivation to act
Long Term Outcomes
- Reduced mistreatment
- Increased reporting of dangerous activities
- Increased learning
- Improved grades
- Improved social emotional climate
Target Population
Demographics
- Kindergarten - 12th Grade
- Transitional Age Youth (16 - 24)
Service Area
County-wide:
- Southeast (District 1)
- Southwest (District 2)
- Central (District 3)
- Northeast (District 4)
- Northwest (District 5)
Information
Program Funders
Many thanks to the following funders for making this program possible.
Local Funders
- Abacus Wealth Partners
- Clover Stornetta
- Codding Foundation
- Community Foundation Sonoma County
- Exchange Bank
- Healdsburg Sunrise Rotary
- Kiwanis Club Oakmont
- Kiwanis Club Healdsburg
- Kiwanis Club Petaluma
- Rotary Club Santa Rosa East
- Santa Rosa Chapter of Realtors
Other Funders
- Wells Fargo Foundation
- Westamerica Bank
