Practices for Effective School Partnerships

Developing effective partnerships with schools is an ongoing process that begins with small steps, is sensitive to the challenges and realities that schools face, and is informed by a vision of what a comprehensive school-based program looks like.

1. Develop a comprehensive program. One-time approaches are unlikely to have a long-term impact. At best, they raise awareness and give students a vocabulary they can use to talk about their experiences. At worst, they reinforce the view that violence against women and girls is a peripheral issue. School-based programs should foster the development of long-term, comprehensive programs through community collaborations that include advocates, educators, and law enforcement officials. It is important to start with individuals from groups that have an interest in violence prevention and understand the inner workings of a school or school district.
2. Remind educators that violence prevention is consistent with school mandates. All school districts must provide students with a safe learning environment: youth suffering from trauma—whether they are being bullied or experiencing dating violence—often do poorly in school. Reminding school officials of their responsibility to provide a safe environment can produce impressive results. After all, the immediate concern of school staff and district officials is with the schools they teach in or oversee.
3. Use data effectively. The right data can bring together advocates and school personnel by showing the pervasiveness and impact of violence against women and girls and revealing the connections between gender roles, young men’s violence, and other harmful behaviors. Research can highlight program effectiveness. Finally, data can reveal the discomfort students feel with violence and their desire to intervene, thus providing important information about these hidden norms that can be integrated into prevention programs.
4. Build long-term relationships. Each contact with a school can be seen as part of a bigger picture. For example, every request from a teacher for assistance is an opportunity to learn more about how to advance a comprehensive approach in that school. Campaigns can start with an informal partnership between an advocate and a concerned teacher, who then brings others into the partnership. Eventually, this group can develop into an advisory board for schoolwide violence prevention efforts.
5. Build relationships with other programs. One of the most efficient ways to introduce a comprehensive program that addresses violence against women and girls gender-based violence is to build relationships with existing school-based programs that address related issues such as school safety, life skills, health, and relationships.
6. Establish an advisory board or leadership team. Advisory boards of faculty, administrators, and parents are needed to plan and implement program activities and build support with stakeholder groups. Work may proceed slowly at first, as members identify school needs, discuss competing priorities, and reach agreement on an action plan. It may take time to develop a strong advisory board that will advocate for sustaining a comprehensive program and avoiding haphazard programming.
7. Work with state departments of education. In some states, activists, advocates, educators, concerned parents, and students have organized to gain the support of their state department of education. These efforts can lead to statewide changes in school policy and practices, and leverage important state resources that can be used to promote and monitor collaboration.

Discussion Board

Discuss these and other potential practices for working in partnership with schools, parents, and administrators.