National Civility Association

THE BIG HAIRY PROBLEM...

Our communities as we know them are unraveling. Unkind, uncivil, and disrespectful behavior are tearing away at the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health fabric of our schools, businesses, and homes.

Direct consequences of the problem:

More than 160,000 students are afraid to go to school each day out of fear of being bullied.
Teen suicide, now the second leading cause of death in adolescents, has increased 33% and continues to rise — Suicide in girls age 10-14 is up a whopping 151%.
Opioid deaths are rising by over 72,000 per year.
Violence, rioting, looting, and civil unrest are at an all time high.

Further consequences of these problems:

Leaders are terrified that their communities will be in the next tragic news headline.
Educators are forced to focus on mental health and security over academics.
Business leaders struggle to hire employees that show up on time and display reasonable respect for their work.
Parents strain to keep peace in their homes while combating prevailing outside forces.

The problem is so overwhelming that it can be paralyzing. Yet, when our kids' lives are at stake, we have to do something.

Our Kids Are Worth Us Doubling Down To Find A Solution

You are desperate to see change in your community, but knowing how to put a dent in such an enormous problem can be paralyzing. You want a solution to that overwhelming (big hairy) problem. At The National Civility Association, we share your urgency and frustration to do something, but we aren't helpless in this fight. And, neither are you. We've taken three decades of experience in psychology, civility, character and leadership training and applied them to a transformative program that brings practical, measurable change to the communities we love.

The program isn't a one-and-done, feel-good event that magically transforms your community. But, hear this: It moves the needle. And, in a climate like ours — that's a win we'll take.

Here's How It Works:

FIRST (Coffee):

SECOND (Show & Tell):

First, we’d like to buy you a cup of coffee and share about the details, the news coverage, and the promotion you get in return as well as how we help you remove the financial obstacle keeping your local schools, businesses, and government from coming together to initiate tangible change in your community.

SECOND (Show & Tell):

Second, we will show you how we bring high school students, educators, business leaders, and appointed officials together for a stop-them-in-their-tracks, one-day kickoff event.

THIRD (Plan):

FOURTH (Action):

Then, we will show you how participants leave with a plan for impact. During the kickoff event, attendees are challenged to think creatively about how to unleash kindness throughout the community. Then, together, they build a plan to practically apply what they’ve learned.

FOURTH (Action):

Finally, practical kindness, respect & civility takes the lead in your community. With lively chatter on social media, news coverage of the event, and #FindTheKind challenges popping up throughout your community following the kickoff, you will feel the centrifugal expansion of ongoing ripples of kindness throughout your community that tip the scale in a direction that matters.

CHANGING MINDSETS — CHANGING COMMUNITIES — CHANGING LIVES

We love the fact that you see the immense value in helping young people, our future workforce, come together to work side-by-side with school, business and community leaders on a mission to put an end to unkind, disrespectful, and uncivilized behavior, one person at a time.

Our Civility Summit is a fast-paced event, full of multiple quick and to-the-point keynotes and video clips that are not only educational, engaging, and empowering but also lay the foundation of kindness, respect, and civility in everything we do.

Numerous breakout sessions tie everything together and spark those "Aha" moments found in self-reflection. The question arises, "what is possible if we start implementing these suggestions back in our schools, businesses, communities, and homes?"

Our working lunch sessions are where school, business, community, and student leaders who came as a team are brainstorming specific #FindTheKind challenges that they can centrifugally expand within their respective environments. These are all intentionally aimed at putting an end to unkind, disrespectful, and uncivilized behavior, one person at a time. BUT, here's where we differ from others: We despise one-and-done events. That's why our social media, email, and text follow-up kicks into high gear one hour after each event and provides a continuous stream of sharing, from great information and ideas to celebrations of what everyone is implementing in their own communities. Then, our online contests and Zoominars keep everyone engaged, year after year after year.

Here's the bottomline — It's ludicrous to think one initiative can fix everything. Our approach is far more practical.

Here's the essence:

BETTER ME

It's easy to complain about others not pulling their weight, but real change starts within ourselves. This is where we spend our energy.

BETTER YOU

When we spread intentional kindness, those around us begin to change, too. This is the most natural ripple effect from the event.

BETTER US

With a little more civility, we begin to tip the scale towards a kinder, more selfless community that overflows into our world.

Janelle Jones, Chamber of Commerce President

"Amazing! Our partnerships with student, school and community leaders helped our businesses thrive."

Thatcher, student

Janelle Jones, Chamber of Commerce President

"Civility Summit changed my life - we brought different schools and businesses together with a drive to bring people together in all efforts towards civility."

Chris Swanson, Mayor of Two Harbors

Janelle Jones, Chamber of Commerce President

Chris Swanson, Mayor of Two Harbors

"The Civility Summit was absolutely incredible! This investment brought our community, school & business leaders, working side-by-side with students addressing the social changes of today."

TACKLE INCIVILITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY

THE BIG HAIRY PROBLEM...

Our Kids Are Worth Us Doubling Down To Find A Solution