Compassion Corps is an initiative to bring evidence-based compassion trainings to communities of need at no cost to participants. Through Compassion Corps, any certified teacher can apply for a modest grant (generally ranging from $1,000-$2,000) to pay for their teaching time and expertise to support the community in which they’re working. Certified teachers offer the full 8-week program of either Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT), or Compassion-Based Cognitive Training (CBCT) to approximately 20 people.
Compassion Corps is a simple idea, but is innovative for a number of reasons. First, it builds on teachers’ existing connections or affiliations with communities. It honors the science behind each training, the rigorous certification program of the trainer, and widens the reach of these compassion trainings beyond a limited audience which skews toward the privileged. CC also has the potential to “turbo-charge” the spread of compassion. The stories of each grant inspire prosociality and compassion among, not only the participants, but also the trainers, and all whom they may touch. Each program has the potential to not only influence those who are directly affected, but an ever-expanding network of compassion and generosity. This is exactly what has been happening with the inaugural grants.
Location
Berkeley, CA, USA
Website
https://www.compassion-corps.org/
