Creating a safer, more inclusive community can begin with saying hello to your neighbor. Once we get to know our neighbors, we are often invited to check-in when we notice small things such as mail piling up or a garage door left open.
The Neighbors Together program provides opportunities for community members to build relationships with each other and get training on a variety of safety-related situations. We provide free trainings and workshops for groups of five or more people who live, work, go to school or play together in Portland. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trainings are currently conducted virtually.
Here are some of the trainings Civic Life's Community Safety program offers:
- Emergency preparedness
- Personal safety
- Active transportation, safe routes to school and pedestrian safety
- Social connections and reducing social isolation
- Youth safety
- Public safety systems navigation and reporting hate and bias
- Community advocacy and organizing
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
- Multi-dwelling safety (apartments, condos)
- Community care and litter removal events (schools, parks, block)
- Bicycle theft prevention
Getting to know each other better and maintaining relationships helps us break down our unconscious biases about who or what we see as unsafe and treat each other with respect. These trainings engage neighbors to build stronger and more unified relationships by working toward a shared goal — creating communities where all Portlanders feel safe, connected, and welcomed.
View our recorded sessions on Community Safety including: Tips for Businesses, Resiliency and Preparedness, Staying Connected, and Reducing Social Isolation and Pedestrian Safety.
For more information or to request a training, fill out the Neighbors Together Online form!