The Big Community Club

The Big Community Club Movement

The Big Community Club Movement was begun by Side By Side to help middle and high schools provide leadership training opportunities for students who care about their school and want to help in the work of building bridges of respect and understanding. The Big Community Club Movement is available to students who want to learn how to help build a campus community that goes beyond tolerance, one that truly welcomes and embraces diversity.

Further, The Big Community Club Movement offers training to adult staff members in the skills and strategies that enable them to work effectively in coalition with their students. The Big Community Club Movement teaches students how to tackle the tough inter-group issues in school but also offers them:

• strategies for building campus sprit and interest among students in their school

• leadership training that focuses on service, ethics and a respect for the unique gifts of all students

• opportunities to learn how to build coalitions across group lines

• skills and practice in handling inter/intra-group conflict

• training in creating on-campus service activities that build community

• anti-bullying training

• anti-racism training

• anti-homophobia training

We call it a Movement because we are interested in linking schools across the country through our website, through chat rooms, video conferences and a national gathering.

The Big Community Club Concept

• Organized clubs on high school and middle school campuses

• Clubs virtually connected across the country

• Annual national gathering

• Clubs will be open to all students and include representation from students, faculty, administrators, and support staff within the school

• The primary focus is to create respect for diversity, build community and develop school spirit

• Skill training and development will be a key activity of the club

• Areas of training and skill development:

» leadership

» communicating across group lines

» coalition building

» anti-bullying training

» anti-racism training

» anti-homophobia training

• Service activity on campus and in the community will be another primary focus of the club

• Clubs will organize celebrations, rallies, assemblies and other special gatherings throughout the school year.

Contact Side By Side to bring the Big Community School Movement to your school: http://www.sidebysidecampus.org/