Author: Netra

Compassionate Communication for Adolescents

Posted on by

While the communication issues for elementary, and to some degree intermediate students often surround bullying and playground inclusion, for teens and pre-teens, communication around the complex subjects such as dating and sexual attraction often becomes a focal point.

Because of this we also include a “Teen Dating Violence Prevention” program for middle and high school girls and boys, that helps change the culture within a school. After having been in the Domestic Abuse prevention field for decades, we understand that to truly stop violence against girls and women, it is critical that peer group, and and then entire school culture be changed—not just a focus on assisting girls and women.

Compassionate Communication School Staff Training

Posted on by

To begin changing the school culture around bullying, training staff in Compassionate Communication is the most effective strategy. These adults will then be leaders in shifting school culture. We then work in tandem with faculty in offering Compassionate Communication hands-on training for students. This is the most integrated, sustainable approach.

Mahi Ola Treatment Center

Posted on by

Mahi Ola is a program designed to be a Delancey Street style long-term substance abuse rehabilitation center on an organic, sustainable farm with a Nutritive Dehydration Center (NDC) and a gourmet restaurant.

Mahi Ola was formed for the purpose of providing comprehensive, holistic, accessible substance abuse treatment for the residents of Maui County—especially those in the most need: people caught in the criminal justice system, the indigent and the chronically homeless.

Mahi Ola is inspired by Justice Reinvestment’s report on the State of Hawaii’s criminal justice system and by the highly successful Delancey Street model of long-term peer-culture and vocational substance abuse rehabilitation. Mahi Ola seeks to, using the Delancey Street model, fill the gap that Justice Reinvestment chronicled: “community-based treatment programs”. (Please see attachment: “Mahi Ola: Need Justification” for details)

Mahi Ola will collaborate with local substance abuse treatment facilities. Standard protocol will be for local residents suffering from substance abuse disorder to first complete customary 60-day treatment program before transferring to Mahi Ola’s long-term life skills, vocational and optimal health rehabilitation program.

Additionally Mahi Ola’s is exploring a close working relationship with a national program known as the Regenerative Community Initiative (RCI) that would support the development of a high-impact locally owned Nutritive Dehydration Center (NDC) that may be owned by Mahi Ola and operated by RCI trained residents. The NDC will create at least 15 direct jobs within the facility and hundreds of farmer and farm related jobs through the creation within the NDC portion of this project of up to $4.3M in new market for organic local food in the first 27 months of the NDC’s processing operations, and up to $3.6M / year in new market thereafter. This will enhance the local economy and increase food security.

In addition to serving people with the single issue of substance abuse disorder, Mahi Ola will also serve as a diversion and re-entry from jail/prison, which will save the State on incarcerations expenses (please see, “Mahi Ola: Need Justification” insert). The gourmet restaurant; which will ensure ongoing financial sustainability, in addition to being a tourist destination, will be a model of an enlightened approach to drug abuse treatment and crime reduction.

Mahi Ola will also serve as a two to four year home and vocational rehab program for the chronically homeless. This will save State expenses on hospital emergency room visits and will save the County/State on homeless services (please see “Housing First” for more information on this  concept)

Compassionate Communication in Schools

Posted on by

Compassionate Communication in Schools is a program of Restorative Solutions, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Compassionate Communication (inspired by Nonviolent Communication℠) began with teaching at two elementary and a middle school in Maui County public schools., where we served students aged 5-13. Our program uses games and creative exercises which offer practical and powerful tools for assisting staff and students understand their own needs as well those of others’, and creating win-win situations based on power-with relations instead of power struggles.

“I like how we were taught to enter the “calm zone,” how bullying other people affects their feelings, and how we are learning many ways of dealing with life problems.  I thank our teacher (Jonia) for teaching us about all of these new things.  I like everything that I’ve learned and I would not change anything. Thank you!” ~ 6th grade Kalama Intermediate School Student

The curriculum is based on Nonviolent Communication℠, the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, which teaches students relational skills critical for expressing their needs, and in communicating clearly and compassionately with others.
This helps create a classroom environment of respect and rapport and help students find alternatives to bullying or feeling victimized. Compassionate Communication helps students develop skills in problem solving, empathic listening and conflict resolution that will last a lifetime.

“It supports me” ~ 8th grade Kalama Intermediate School Student

Compassionate Communication in Schools responds to many school districts’ mandate to address the Classroom Environment—creating an environment of respect and rapport. It also addresses the mandate to manage Student Behavior.

“I learned that everyone has feelings” ~ 8th grade Kalama Intermediate School Student

RSM’s will develop a custom program for your school’s needs.

“I learned how to control anger and violence” ~ 8th grade Kalama Intermediate School Student

Please contact us for a free consultation (808) 359-1673.

“I learned that all feelings are equal” ~ 8th grade Kalama Intermediate School Student