Beyond Us & Them Vermont Public Safety Project

Beyond Us & Them, previously known as Center for Council, offers transformative programming for public safety agencies and for incarcerated or system-impacted individuals that promotes health & wellness, procedural justice, police-community relations, and the emergence of compassion and community throughout the state of Vermont.

Programs will unfold over 4 years and will begin with a phase of program planning - developed in partnership with local Vermont academic resources and personnel. The project will then shift to public relations outreach, engagement, and direct training of 27 of cohorts that will include law-enforcement officers and other first responders, correctional officers and staff, incarcerated individuals, and community cohorts, involving the staff of Community Justice Centers, and other organizations.

Law enforcement, first responders, and correctional staff will utilize the Peace Officer Wellness, Empathy & Resilience (POWER) Training Program, an intensive and interactive curriculum for police and correctional officers that combines mindfulness practices, compassion-based communication exercises, and training in wellness-related areas such as stress management and self-care.

Incarcerated individuals will participate in the Council for Insight, Compassion and Resilience (CICR). This program contributes to a shift of culture within jails and prisons and equips participants with tools for successful reentry and reintegration into their communities upon release.

Community Based Organizations and Community Justice Centers will participate in customized programs based on the Organizational Wellness Project, resourcing participants in these training cohorts with tools for creating cohesiveness, engagement, and sustainability in their work.

Upon completion of the first two phases, participants in the training cohorts will be selected to enter advanced programs, providing cohorts with advanced training, mentorship, and support for program design, as well as research training. Beyond Us & Them’s dynamic and powerful Cops & Communities: Circling Up program model will support continued weaving and integration of law enforcement and community members.

The final phases will focus on providing additional advanced training for community leaders and structuring sustainable programmatic models that will continue to serve participants and communities by offering resources and content developed throughout earlier phases of the project.  The Vermont Department of Public Safety (DPS), in partnership with the Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC), plans to document and share the transformative impact of restorative practices in State correctional facilities. Grant funds will be dedicated to the procurement of a professionally produced video documentary through which to tell the compelling story of these restorative initiatives. Screenings at statewide community justice centers will provide valuable opportunities to advance public awareness and dialogue among multiple constituents, including local residents, employers, service providers, and legislators.