The Vision of The Virtues Project - is to serve humanity by supporting the moral and spiritual development of people of all cultures, by helping them to remember who they really are and to live by their highest values.

The Mission of The Virtues Project - is to provide empowering strategies that inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life through programs of excellence and simplicity which support people of all ages to cultivate their virtues - the gifts of character.

The strategies of The Virtues Project are a simple, proven methodology which helps children to remember who they really are, and to know that the purpose of life is to have a life of purpose. Virtues are the content of our character, the elements of the human spirit. They exist within each child in potential. What is needed is a method to help children act on the best within them.

The purpose of a true educator - which literally means "one who leads forth' - is to awaken the virtues which already exist within a child.

Our Schools are in Trouble

Too many schools have become war zones. The incidence of youth suicide and violence is alarming. Too many of our children are technical wizards and moral incompetents. Teachers are becoming increasingly stressed by the violence and are already overburdened by the demands of academic requirements.

We know that unless we get to the root of the cause of these problems, they will persist and worsen.

The Loss of Meaning

A study out of Harvard Center for Moral Education asked the questions "Why did you do it?" of youth jailed for committing random acts of violence. Ninety per cent of these youth said "Because I was bored". Boredom is a spiritual disease - the disease of meaninglessness.

If loss of meaning is the disease, the cure must incorporate a way for young people to connect with meaning and purpose. There is a longing deep within adolescence to make a difference, to have impact. It comes from the developmental urge to fulfil their innate virtues of idealism, purposefulness , and creativity. It is the call of early adulthood saying "Make your mark". When that fierce idealism is not given a positive focus through opportunities for young people to explore and experience what is meaningful in their lives, it seeks another channel.

A Renaissance of Values and Virtues

Thankfully, there is a renaissance of values and virtues to address the heart of the matter. The purpose of life as described in all the world's wisdom traditions is the cultivation of the virtues. There is nothing new about justice. There is nothing original about love. Virtues are the oldest ideas in the world.

Many teachers and administrators are finding that applying the strategies of The Virtues Project is transforming the culture in their schools by helping them to create a total environment of caring and respect. They have replaced discouragement with empowerment, having discovered that words such as "lazy", "stupid", "no good", "hopeless", and unacceptable" were literally demoralising and discouraging their students. When they fill their classrooms with encouraging words such as "helpful", "excellent", "compassionate", "self-disciplined" and "kind", they find that these behaviours flourish.

Why Virtues? Why not Values?

Values are what we value and care about. They could be anything. We may value getting rich and famous, we may value being the best criminal the world has ever seen, we may value power over others, but that doesn't mean we will have good character. Also values are culture specific. What some families or cultures value, others don't. Virtues are much more elemental than values. While values are culture-specific, virtues are universally valued by all cultures.

"Virtues are what's good about us" Sharon Age 6

An Inclusive Approach

How do we introduce character education in a pluralistic society without offending people of diverse beliefs and religions?

How do we safeguard against imposing values?

A simple way to address this issue is by focusing on the development of virtues.

The strategies of The Virtues Project are a simple, proven methodology which helps children to remember who they really are, and to know that the purpose of life is to have a life of purpose. Virtues are the content of our character, the elements of the human spirit. They exist within each child in potential. What is needed is a method to help children act on the best within them.

The purpose of a true educator - which literally means "one who leads forth' - is to awaken the virtues which already exist within a child.

Virtues Project Authors

Linda Kavelin-Popov is President and CEO of The Virtues Project, Inc., and co-founder of The Virtues Project (TM) She is an inspiring international speaker on the cultivation of personal and corporate virtues, character education, women's development and community healing. She is a psychotherapist and organizational development consultant to clients such as General Motors, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She designed suicide and violence prevention programs used in U.S. municipalities and for indigenous peoples. She has facilitated healing and development in communities of many cultures around the world and trained educators and government leaders as far afield as arctic Inuit communities, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Malaysia and the Mariannas Islands. She was the first Spiritual Care Director of Hospice Victoria and created a landmark compassionate care program for families of the dying used for more than twelve years. She is a charter member of the National Think Tank on character for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Her work is being applied in communities traumatized by student murders, in day care centers, prisons and by diverse Faith communities. Linda is the recipient of a 2001 Women of Distinction award from theYWCA. She has been a guest on the OPRAH show and many other talk shows addressing strategies for transforming violence to virtues. She co-produced the television series, "Virtues: A Family Affair" and has written the books and materials which form the body of work of The Virtues Project.

Dan Popov, Ph.D. is a scholar of the world's sacred traditions and Executive Director of WellSpring International Educational Foundation, publishing spiritual education materials for people of all faiths. He is a clinical pediatric psychologist and a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has taught at a number of universities and consulted to government and industry. He was a senior scientist designing information systems for various agencies within the US Government. A powerful presenter, he speaks to thousands of people each year on human development, the cultivation of character and virtues.

TM COMMENTS on Dan and Linda & The Virtues Project

"How to instill do-the-right-thing virtues in your children...parents are always saying children don't come with a guidebook. This [The Family Virtues Guide] is one. This helps you to get them on the right track of leading a good life." Oprah Winfrey during Linda Kavelin-Popov's guest appearance on the Oprah show

"Our employees are still stopping me in the halls to tell me how much they gained from attending your inspiring workshop! What a pleasure it was for me to introduce you to Hallmark!" Andrea Zeorlin, Hallmark Cards,Kansas City USA

"It was truly amazing. Your presentation touched everyone to the core of their being and for some, I'm sure, resulted in a real spiritual awakening. What a gift! Your presentation was rated as 'awesome' by everyone." Jim Stimson, Employee and Family Assistance Program, MacMillan Bloedel

Visit the website at www.virtuesproject.com

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