City of Toledo: Enhancing School Resilience

This project seeks to establish a coordinated effort between the city of Toledo, Toledo Public Schools, and two community-based organization subrecipients (Good Grief of Northwest Ohio and Sisters 4 Unity) to support students, families, and schools in responding to and preventing school- and community-based violence. The project will provide ongoing trauma-informed care to those most directly impacted by violence, while working to establish shared roles and responsibilities in developing a comprehensive strategy to improve school climate through coordinated responses to incidents of violence. Project activities include violence prevention and intervention efforts through the City of Toledo Save Our Community Program, peer support grief groups for students provided by Good Grief of Northwest Ohio, and family-based peer support provided by Sisters 4 Unity. Under the supervision of the project coordinator and with logistical support from Toledo Public Schools, each of these agencies will provide individualized support to students and families who have been impacted by school or community violence. Beyond the direct efforts of these organizations, school capacity to prevent violence will be enhanced through Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings for school staff, allowing target schools to become more trauma-informed and better equipped to identify students who may need additional support. Additionally, youth and family leadership will be enhanced through involvement in Toledo's Community Action Table, a cross-sector network of stakeholders working to develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce violence in Toledo. This project will provide a strong community-based commitment to supporting schools in their ongoing mission to promote peace within the community. Through this collaboration, schools will receive support in developing their own skills and practices to support positive school climate; students impacted by violence will develop resilience, prosocial coping strategies, and peer support in navigating hardship; and families will develop a support network and generate shared ownership over the issue of school violence through participation in Toledo's Community Action Table. The project will focus on three high schools within Toledo Public Schools - Waite, Woodward, and Scott - that have experienced ongoing negative impacts of violence. Students and families directly impacted by violence will be primary beneficiaries however, the entire school community will benefit through improved school climate fostered through a multitiered systems of support framework.