United States
Education, Health
$47,000 Goal
Summary of the Situation
CCR has provided mediation services, restorative justice processes, facilitation, and training to individuals and organizations. By using restorative justice processes and providing safe, structured, and positive environments, CCR empowers people to solve conflict in their lives giving them the tools they need to find peaceful solutions and choose understanding over escalating conflict. By dealing with conflict in the early stages CCR has demonstrated that many disputes can be resolved without harm or violence. Schools, businesses and law enforcement are just some of the many sectors that depend on CCR to help individuals find constructive solution for potentially destructive problems. Kansas City faced its deadliest year in 2023, recording 184 homicides. Of these approximately 1 in 3 victims and 1 in 4 suspects are under the age of 25. KCPD attributes much of this violence to unresolved conflict between people who know each other. People resort to violence when they believe it is the only way to meet their needs. Youth especially do not have problem solving and de-escalation skills that help them see peaceful outcomes. This has many root causes; the youth we are focused on are historically underserviced; have personal generational and systemic trauma; experience systemic racism that is especially present in marginalized communities. Peer and parental pressure are also important key factors in youth violence, along with a lack of positive role models.
How will the funds be used?
Theses funds along with funds from other organizations will establish a Family Institute to work with the parents of children involved in the school programs. Costs are $140,000 per year for three years. This will cover the full staff and participant planning, two full-time trainers and conflict coaches, and program evaluation throughout the project. At the end of the 3 years, the Training Institute will be sustainable through additional foundations and local funding.
The Sisters’s Response
CCR will include people we are hoping to serve in planning and creating a Training Institute that will add depth and breadth to our existing community and school training. With potential participants we will develop aspects of the project that can more effectively address the root causes of using violence to solve conflict focused on youth in schools and other youth organizations and parents and guardians of those youth. Participants will be invited through community parent and grandparent groups, school parents groups, neighborhood associations and through church and youth clubs.
Systemic Impact
A child’s first learning environment is the home and neighborhood where they grow up. CCR will utilize current restorative practices, expand them, and add the training institute. Long term outcomes will greatly improve. Parent workshops will be a consistent group and individual process that will provide family stability and social/emotional learning opportunities. CCR needs additional funding support to enhance the curriculum and offer these opportunities with more regularity.