What the Project Is
Prepare offers comprehensive violence prevention training and personal safety programs. In all its programs, violence is situated in the social and cultural context within which it exists. The project supports the work of others in the anti-violence community with a broad spectrum of curriculum. It is best known for secondary prevention self-defense and personal safety courses featuring the suited instructor – IMPACT Basics and Prepare classes for kids and teens. The training empowers individuals, giving them the tools to better manage what life brings their way, which is pretty cool… offering both physical safety skills and valuable life lessons.
Main Benefits: Key Figures and Facts
- Offers comprehensive programs on violence prevention and personal safety.
- Includes curriculum on health and life skills education, anti-bias, anti-bullying, and social-emotional learning fundamentals.
- Delivers self-defense techniques through interactive, team-based classes.
- Caters to students of all ages, genders, fitness levels, and body types.
- Trains professionals for workplace challenges like managing disoriented clients and navigating domestic/international travel.
Comprehensive Curriculum Overview
Prepare is an educational services company that offers evidence-based programs for personal safety, communication skills, and self-defense. The curriculum covers both primary prevention – changing beliefs and behaviors before violence occurs – and secondary prevention techniques that include threat assessment and management. The training emphasizes approach tactics that extend far beyond basic physical resistance. For example, practical skills such as listening carefully, thinking clearly, and problem-solving are all integrated. Real-life scenarios allow participants to experience the adrenaline rush of high-stress situations and become more acclimated to functioning effectively while under pressure… making the process engaging and realistic.
Trauma-Informed Community Initiatives
The programs are designed to be trauma-informed and sensitive to the needs of those healing from trauma. Offered in collaboration with community partners and tailored for individuals, groups, and organizations, the curriculum supports recovery and prevention education simultaneously. School-based programs also include anti-bias and anti-bullying content as well as social and emotional learning fundamentals. Corporations and agencies rely on the project to provide safety training and professional development workshops, including leadership, communication skills, and team building. This integrated approach really embodies a holistic vision of societal response to violence.
Dynamic Training Methods
One of the remarkable features of this project is its dynamic class structure. All classes are taught in a team style with a lead instructor and additional instructors wearing “suits” to protect their bodies from full force, full contact strikes. This system enhances learning by combining verbal role-plays with physical resistance rehearsals. Participants not only learn self-defense techniques but also get to feel the response to adrenaline in a controlled environment. And since physical resistance to interpersonal crime is very different from other types of fighting, the training reinforces that option only when escape or verbal responses aren’t possible or sufficient… keeping the learning context realistic and applicable.
Integrated Social and Cultural Perspectives
The project situates violence within a broader array of social and cultural dynamics. Its curriculum consciously addresses the roots of violence such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and ableism. It also explores how rigid gender roles contribute to being both perpetrators and targets of violence. Approaches that include media and cultural literacy education help debunk myths about violence and who is dangerous. The training emphasizes that the responsibility for crime lies with the perpetrator and respects all personal choices in response, from resistance to non-action in moments of potential danger.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being – Through comprehensive safety training and empowerment.
- SDG 4: Quality Education – By promoting evidence-based educational programs.
- SDG 5: Gender Equality – Via curriculum that challenges rigid gender roles and promotes assertiveness.
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Through accessible programs for people of all ages, sizes, and abilities.
- SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – By fostering safer communities and advocating proactive violence prevention.
Empowering Individuals and Communities
Participants of Prepare’s programs often report that the benefits extend well beyond the classroom. Many experience greater general awareness, increased self-esteem, and the ability to communicate clearly and directly. The training builds creative and flexible problem-solving skills, improved leadership qualities, and calmer thinking during stress or crisis. Thanks to the engaging, real-life simulation scenarios and trauma-sensitive approach, graduates carry their enhanced sense of safety and empowerment into their daily lives. The diverse range of programs and the integration of cultural and social insights ensure that the impact resonates with communities on multiple levels, truly creating a ripple effect of positive change.
