STUDENTS AGAINST VIOLENCE EVERYWHERE

SEPTEMBER: FOCUS ON SPEAKING OUT: COMMUNICATION

In September, SAVE chapters really get rolling. It takes good communication to get the word out about your chapter and the great things you are doing. Have kickoff meetings, membership drives, and start planning projects and fund-raisers for the year. This is the time when most chapters elect their officers for the year and begin publicizing SAVE and all of the great activities that will lie ahead. Start contacting resource people in your school or community (i.e. counselors, SROs, violence prevention specialists, etc.) that can help enhance your meetings or serve as speakers. You may also contact businesses or civic groups about becoming possible sponsors for your planned events. Get together with other schools in your area to begin planning joint projects for the year such as participating in the National SAVE Rock-A-Thon!. Middle and high school chapters may want to contact feeder schools to set up presentations for younger students who may be interested in joining SAVE.

Crime Prevention Activities

• Publicize school and community resources (ex: SRO, Crime Stoppers, and Teen Court). Talk to your guidance staff, SRO or local law enforcement to set up a Campus Crime Stopper program.

• Talk to your guidance staff, SRO or local law enforcement to set up a Campus Crime Stoppers program.

• Visit classrooms to help teachers and students establish classroom rules. “Laws and Rules Can Reduce Violence” Activity (SAVE Essentials, Crime Prevention-1).

• Advocate for a student representative to be on your safe schools planning committee.

• Use the "Vandalism Awareness Activity" with your SAVE Chapter (SAVE Essentials, Crime Prevention-47).

  For more crime prevention ideas

Conflict Management Activities

• Publicize conflict management resources in your school, including Guidance and Peer Mediation.

• Run role-plays in your chapter to illustrate positive ways to deal with specific situations, such as being bullied or someone breaking into a locker (SAVE Essentials, Conflict Management-43).

• Create a public service announcement on the importance of managing conflicts peacefully (SAVE Essentials, Working With the Media-1).

• Hold a town hall meeting with students, parents, and school staff to discuss common conflicts occurring in your school.

  For more conflict management ideas

Service Project Activities

• Hold a chapter fund-riaser by selling paper links to a peace chain. Make it a competition between the grades and display the chain around the school.

• Start a “Big Buddy” program with younger students, ex: Seniors with Freshmen or fifth graders with kindergartners.

• Encourage SAVE members to meet with new students at your school for lunch and invite them to the next SAVE meeting.

• Meet with other local chapters to get ideas and plan community projects.

• Challenge each SAVE member to bring someone new to a meeting.

• Conduct a SAVE awareness capaign during a special school event.

   

   

   

   

   

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  National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere SAVE: Youth Voices... Grown-Up Choices! Toll Free 866-343-SAVE For more information contact cwray@nationalsave.org   /   Copyright 2010