APPLICATION IS DUE SEPTEMBER 19, 2025, MIDNIGHT ESTNational Community Safety and Security School Fellowship Overview
In June 2020, Vision Change Win received over one hundred (100) urgent security and safety training requests from several national networks and foundations. In order to fully support over one hundred (100) organizations in deepening safety and security VCW launched the National Community Safety and Security School in August 2020. Now in it’s sixth year, this collaborative learning program is built on the understanding that no one organization can navigate safety, security, and surveillance threats in isolation.
About the Security School Fellowship (November 2025- February 2026)
In 2025, VCW launched the Security School fellowship. The fellowship cohort is only available to those who have first completed and graduated from the beginner, first year security school track. The cohort is a (5) five-month training program which meets on the first (1st) Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each month from November 2025 - February 2026. Trainings are each three hours long (4 - 7 pm EST) and focus on giving fellows an intermediate to advanced understanding of community safety and security practices.
Participation in the program includes:
- Twelve standardized virtual intermediate and advanced training sessions (over thirty hours of training)
- Opportunity to attend and apply to co-train at an in-person three-day gathering in June, 2026
- Up to two leadership coaching sessions
- Access to our rapid response system
- Access to office hours held three times monthly on Thursdays
- Accompanying security and safety toolkit and training for trainers materials
The Security School Fellowship is a rigorous program which asks participants to increase their attention, capacity, and commitment to community safety work. The fellowship cohort is only available to those who have first completed and graduated from the beginner, first year security school track. The expectations for fellows are higher than that of beginner security school cohort participants. Fellows should plan to complete at least Twenty-five (25) hours of in-session work, and at least Thirty (35) hours of out of session work.
Security School Fellow Commitments:
- Practice security culture within organizational and movement spaces, in personal relationships, and professional relationships. This includes practicing confidentiality, generative conflict, and giving and receiving grounded feedback.
- Attend at least 75% of training sessions (participants who miss more than four unexcused sessions will not graduate from the program and may be asked to leave the program without tuition reimbursement or refund)
- Complete Twenty (20) hours of community safety practice within a chosen community safety specialty (practice hours may include: physical de-escalation training, co-facilitation, shadowing practitioners, rapid response support, safety planning support, etc)
- Complete an end of cohort community safety project and presentation
Upon graduating from the program, fellows will have the opportunity to support, co-facilitate, or shadow VCW community safety programs. This work will be compensated through a fellowship stipend rate. The 2025-2026 training dates are as follows (All sessions are 4 - 7pm EST):
- November: Tues, 11/4 | Wed, 11/5 | Thurs, 11/6
- December: Tues, 12/2 | Wed, 12/3 | Thurs, 12/4
- January: Tues, 1/6 | Wed, 1/7 | Thurs, 1/8
- February: Tues, 2/3 | Wed, 2/4 | Thurs, 2/5
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Friday, October 24, 2025: $100 deposit due
- Monday, December 1, 2025: First tuition payment due
Fellowship Training Topics
- Facilitation skills & practice
- Safety and Security Values
- Liberation Pedagogies
- Verbal De-escalation (201 & 301)
- Direct Action Security Teams (201 & 301)
- Organizational Safety (201 & 301)
- Digital Security (201 & 301)
- Implementing Safety and Security Practices (201 & 301)
- Safety Team Sustainability (201 & 301)
- Graduation
Cost
The total true cost per organization to participate in Security School is $10,000, however in order to make our trainings as accessible as possible Vision Change Win offers scholarships to groups representing BIPOC, low-income folks, Immigrants, Queer or Trans folks, Disabled folks or other marginalized communities as well as volunteer-run groups. As such, VCW offers Security School tuition on a sliding scale based on the applying organization's budget
:
- Tier 1: Organizational Budget $5 Million and above | $10,000.00 tuition for 1-5 representatives
- Tier 2: Organizational Budget $1 Million - $5 Million | $6,000.00 tuition for 1-5 representatives
- Tier 3: Organizational Budget $500,000- $1 Million | $2,000.00 tuition for 1-5 representatives
- Tier 4: Organizational Budget under $500,000| $1,000.00 tuition for 1-5 representatives
Solidarity scholarships are offered for organizations with budgets under $1 Million. Payment plans are available for all Tiers. Information on Solidarity Scholarships and payment plans can be found in this application.
Who should fill out the application? The fellowship application should be filled out by (or in coordination with) the individual applicant. This application includes payment information and scholarship information. (All individual applicants, including those who have been sponsored by a funder must still apply)
What information is needed to fill out this application?
- Total annual Organization budget amount
- General information on Organization (mission statement, communities served, organization age)
- Name and contact information of organization's finance point person
- Name and contact information of at least one (1) Security School Representative
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Friday, October 24, 2025: $100 deposit due
- Monday, December 1, 2025: First tuition payment due
Open Houses: Do you have questions about applying to Security School? We've got answers. Swing by anytime during one of our open houses to talk with our staff. Arrive late or leave early.
Click here to register for a 2025 open house.
- Wed, September 3, 2025, 5:00 - 6:00pm EST
- Wed, September 17, 2025, 5:00 - 6:00pm EST
About Vision Change Win:
Vision Change Win Consulting (VCW) is a Black-led team of queer and trans people of color with between ten (10) - twenty-five (25) years of experience within social justice movements, working to support organizations in fully manifesting their missions, visions, and values. Founded in 2014, VCW’s goal is to support social justice organizations to become more effective, aligned, and liberatory.
For more information, find us at www.visionchangewin.org
Questions? Reach out to safety@visionchangewin.org for more information
View the full application as a blank downloadable PDF HEREAPPLICATION IS DUE SEPTEMBER 19, 2025, MIDNIGHT EST