We have two types of programs: Youth Villages and Adult Retreats.
All our programs are based on a three-part model:
Each Village gives participants the opportunity to learn using the following:
Part 1. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Intense experiential workshops using films, simulations and real life experiences to teach skills and knowledge to build competence and awareness related to conflict resolution and peace building. More....
Part 2. JOINT COMMUNITY ACTION/SERVICE LEARNING
Hands on work with a national or international NGO to help participants practice COLLABORATION (team work, trust, empathy, cooperation, communication) skills learned in the workshop portion and to enable groups who see themselves as different to build a common inclusive identity. More...
Part 3. COMMON REFLECTION and SUSTAINABLE DIALOGUES
Opportunities to learn to dialogue (speak to each other and negotiate with each other) around common experiences and challenges at Village and in their daily lives. When possible we invite participants to engage with others from participants' external communities to encourage dialogue common to local and global problems and to expand the "dialogue world". More...
Our Road Map for teaching, sharing and interacting:
Initial contact :
- Get parties together on neutral turf
- Create a setting where social stratification is minimal or non existent = equal footing
- initiate deep knowledge of self and other
Sustaining contact:
- Create activities/intiaives where parties meet over and over
- Creating a culture of peace where new knowledge challenges old negative norms
- Set the stage for trust building through knowledge and risk taking
Looking to the future:
- Push parties to take risk to seek what they desire as opposed to what they fear
- Create long term ventures like this Village that parties can look forward to
Resolving conflicts constructively:
- Provide opportuities for parties to test assumptions in a safe environment
- Create space for dialogue e.g. Sustainable dialogues
Focusing on results:
- Provide opportunities for a common reflection by participants as well as practitioners
- Document (film and writing) the meaning/perceptions that individuals leave programs with
