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It is an initiative focused on the practice of virtues in everyday life. It is a global project offering personal, professional and community development programs and materials to help people of all cultures live by their highest values.
It was founded in 1991 by three concerned individuals who made a commitment to do something to counteract the rising violence among families and youth. Linda Kavelin-Popov, her husband Dr. Dan Popov and her brother, John Kavelin researched the world's diverse sacred traditions, and discovered more than 360 virtues at the heart of all beliefs about the meaning and purpose of life. They self-published a book to help parents bring out the best in themselves and their children. The Family Virtues Guide is now published by Penguin/Putnam and is translated into many languages.
The purpose of The Virtues Project is to provide life-skill strategies that make the knowledge and practice of virtues accessible to people of all cultures. The Five Strategies help individuals to live more reverent, purposeful lives, support parents to raise children of strong moral character, inspire excellence, commitment and service in the workplace, and help schools and communities to build a climate of safety and caring.
The project has grown into a global grass roots network of diverse individuals, organizations, schools, and communities in more than 85 countries. Virtues Connection Groups have formed in many countries and more than 1000 Virtues Project Facilitators have been trained worldwide. In 1993, during the International Year of the Family, the United Nations Secretariat and World Conference of Cities and Corporations honored The Virtues Project as a model global program for families of all cultures.
Examples of clients and organizations applying it are: Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Vancouver School Board, Canada; Living Values Program of New Zealand; Weyerhauser Employee and Family Assistance Program; Utah Youth Federation; Effective Black Parenting, Washington State; and the Society of Aboriginal Addictions and Recovery Services, Canada.
Virtues are simpler than values. Virtues are the qualities of our character. Values are whatever we consider important. We can value anything from money and power to the Golden Rule. Values are culture-specific, while virtues such as courage, honor, justice, and love are the common elements of character and spirituality universally valued by all cultures. We may practice them differently from one culture to another but we all value them.
The Virtues Project is not about the practices or beliefs of any one religion. It is sourced in the teachings about virtues found in the sacred traditions of all cultures. Its purpose is to support all people, both those who are religious and those who are not, to awaken the virtues of their character.
Virtues Project programs and materials are used by many secular organizations such as schools, health care agencies, and corporations to help create a positive culture of character. Diverse faith communities around the world also use the Virtues Project to enhance the cultivation of virtues and the authenticity of their spiritual practices.
The word "spiritual" is contained in many educational mandates as a significant dimension of character education. The working definition of spirituality used in The Virtues Project is:
-Having a sense of meaning and purpose
-Living with integrity, according to a person's highest beliefs and values
-Mastery of the virtues of our character
-A sense of reverence for life and for all people
See our catalogue in The Virtues Shop.
Our programs and topics are designed for a wide range of audiences and are often developed to address specific issues and goals. They can take the form of
an inspirational keynote for a conference, a workshop for teachers, parents or managers, a community violence prevention program, or a five-day Facilitator Training. See Programs.
Virtues Project workshops and trainings can be sponsored by government agencies, corporations, social service agencies, community organizations, schools, or by individuals. See Sponsorship.
See Sponsorship.
A facilitator has had at least five days of training in the Strategies of the Project. They facilitate others learning about and practicing the virtues in their lives, either by informal sharing or by giving introductory workshops, such as in-service for teachers, parenting classes, youth workshops, corporate workshops or personal development retreats.
. See Facilitators.
This training is open to everyone. It is helpful to have learned or be willing to learn group facilitation skills as our trainings are focused on content rather than how to facilitate. Facilitators receive a Virtues Project Leader's Manual which contains lesson plans, overheads, handouts and facilitation tips. See Facilitators.
Only the founders of the project, Linda Kavelin-Popov and Dr. Dan Popov, or Licensed Virtues Project Trainers can give facilitator trainings.
Either register to attend a training program listed on our Calendar of Events, or you may want to find or offer sponsorship for Facilitator Training in your own community.
Book directly with BookSpeakers@virtuesproject.com or contact a Speaker's Bureau with which you already work.
Yes. Books by Linda Kavelin-Popov and materials developed for The Virtues Project are trademarked and copyrighted materials, which are protected by law. We ask people in all countries to respect these intellectual property rights.
For permission to excerpt or copy pages from The Family Virtues Guide or Sacred Moments, contact permissions editor at Penguin Putnam, Florence B.Eichin feichin@penguinputnam.com. To copy or excerpt pages from The Virtues Project Educator's Guide other than those for which permission is given in the Guide itself contact Jalmar Press www.jalmarpress.com.
Yes. You are allowed to copy all of the 52 virtues descriptions as well as the activity sheets from The Virtues Project Educator's Guide (Jalmar Press) for classroom use only. They may also be sent home to parents.
Yes. If you are creating a new work in any form or media, such as a book, a music CD, a column or article for a magazine or for the Internet, or creating any virtues-based product in any form, and wish to use excerpts from Virtues Project materials, please seek permission from Permissions@virtuesproject.com. In some cases, compensation will be required in the form of a royalty or license fee. And in other cases there will be no compensation required but there must be proper attribution of the excerpts and ideas.
Our publishers offer very reasonable terms for translation rights. To obtain the rights to translate The Family Virtues Guide, contact Aline Akelis, Translation Editor at Penguin/Putnam, New York ALINE.AKELIS@penguinputnam.com
For the rights to translate The Virtues Project Educator's Guide contact Jalmar Press www.jalmarpress.com
For the rights to translate Virtues Cards, posters or other support materials,
contact the Translations@virtuesproject.com.
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