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Home / About Us

About Us

Our Mission

Our mission is to collaborate with schools and communities to engage, equip and empower young people to become change agents and peacemakers.

History

Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Community Matters has worked with more than 1,000 schools and youth-serving organizations across North America addressing youth empowerment and violence prevention. Since 2000, Community Matters’ flagship program, Safe School Ambassadors, has been implemented in 28 states and 2 Canadian provinces and equipped approximately 5,000 adults and 60,000 students to be peacemakers.

What We Provide

Working with youth and adults we provide knowledge, tools, and opportunities that equip young people to be capable, connected contributors in their schools and communities. For example, we provide:

  • programs that harness the power of young people to prevent and stop the bullying and violence they see around them;
  • training to adults to more effectively connect with youth in schools and youth serving organizations;
  • powerful keynote addresses and workshop presentations at state, national and regional conferences.

Clients Served

Community Matters has worked with numerous school districts nationwide and in Canada. We have served hundreds of elementary, middle and high schools in rural, urban and suburban communities. We have also worked with many youth-serving organizations, including YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, The Search Institute, Youth Crime Watch of America and The National Crime Prevention Council.

See the list of schools that have launched our Safe School Ambassadors program.

Contact Us

Mailing Address
Community Matters
P.O. Box 14816
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Phone: 707.823.6159
Fax:  707.823.3373
Email:  team@community-matters.org

Headquarters
652 Petaluma Avenue, Ste J1
Sebastopol, CA 95472

About the Founder

The organization was founded and is led by Rick Phillips MS. Ed., a nationally recognized educator, speaker, facilitator, and trainer. Rick is the lead author of Safe School Ambassadors: Harnessing Student Power to Stop Bullying and Violence. He has been a principal and a teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, a school district and county office administrator, and as a Regional Director for the Healthy Kids Center in the California Department of Education. More about Rick


About CM staff

Coming from the fields of education, youth development and social service, the team has extensive expertise and practical experience in bullying and violence prevention, youth involvement, peer helping, conflict mediation, experience-based training, group facilitation, classroom teaching and administration, curriculum development, and prevention program management at the county and state levels. Meet them

About our trainers

This diverse group of more than 20 multi-cultural trainers has years of experience guiding and leading powerful and interactive trainings and seminars. They are united in their passion for youth empowerment, their belief in youth as agents of positive social change, and their commitment to creating a more peaceful world. Meet them

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