Our vision is that every child has a just and safe life in the home and community.

History and Brief Overview

The Non-Violence in the Lives of Children Project (NVP) began as an idea during the summer of 1992 when the CAEYC Board had a long-range planning meeting. At that time, there were two internship programs available statewide from CAEYC: one in Public Policy and one in Leadership in Diversity. Members present at the planning meeting agreed that we should begin developing a proposal for a third internship which would address the need for teacher training in the issues of violence in the lives of children.

Discussion by a few Board members continued at the October 1992 state board meeting and since that time all CAEYC chapters across the state were involved in the evolutionary process of the project. In June 1993, a small group of NVP members gathered in a private home for three days to formulate the purpose, rationale and areas of study which have been used as a developmental framework. The framework was presented and endorsed at the CAEYC Executive Committee meeting in July and at the state CAEYC Board meeting in October 1993. The NVP Planning and Development Committee met at every opportunity during State Board meetings and conferences. Most of the work was done during three-to-six-day meetings in private homes.

Level One of the CAEYC Nonviolence in the Lives of Children Project was piloted in January, 1994 in San Diego, with a second pilot in May 1995 in Fresno. The first Level One training was in Montecito in January 1998. The first Level Two training was in Fresno in February 1998. The project was originally designed with three levels to address the different needs of participants. Level One was introductory, Level Two enhanced strategies to become effective community leaders, and Level Three was the internship trainer-of-trainers level. Currently, the Level Three internship is on hold.

In 2003 the Non-Violence in the Lives of Children Project moved from being A CAEYC committee (or sub-committee) and became the first official CAEYC Special Interest Forum. The SIF meeting was held in the Advocacy Room at the 2004 CAEYC conference in San Diego. The project became officially incorporated as a Non-Profit 501(c)(3) in 2005. In 2014 NVP changed our name to Educators for Peaceful Classrooms and Communities, Inc. (EPCC) because we believed this new name was more consistent with our philosophy of being a positive force toward a peaceful world.

In 2020, EPCC moved into the digital space with an updated website, social media, and online workshops and trainings.  We have now expanded our offerings to include customized workshops of various lengths, presentations for conferences, community organizations, schools and parent groups, and consultations.