|
 Peace Coaches - And Other Ways to Volunteer at PLC
There's a new opportunity for you to help children in Indianapolis - Peace Coaches. We are recruiting dedicated volunteers to work with students building conflict management and emotional literacy that will benefit them in the classroom, neighborhood and future.
As a Peace Coach you will lead small groups of elementary or high school students through an interactive and highly participatory curriculum. Teams of volunteers visit a classroom for six 1 ½ hour sessions after receiving a two hour orientation.
This new offering allows Peace Learning Center to bring professionals into classrooms, offering students real-world perspectives on the value of critical communication skills and civility.
Peace Coaches was piloted this spring with five attorneys from the Indianapolis Bar Association leadership program at Shortridge Magnet High School. Teacher Mary Nolan said her students benefited greatly through the work of caring adults.
Peace Coach orientation is scheduled for Thursday, June 24 from 4:30-6:30 at PLC Eagle Creek Park and August 10 from 5:00-7:00 at PLC Eagle Creek Park.
In addition to Peace Coaches, Peace Learning Center volunteer opportunities include:
- Corporate and Community events - Help us present Tuesdays @ PLC and other events while learning.
- Landscaping and beatification at PLC Eagle Creek Park - Maintain historic building and grounds.
- Shout Out Crew - Publicize PLC through email and social media.
- Office and Clerical
Contact Lisa Jones, Human Resources Director at 317.327.7144 or ljones@peacelearningcenter.org for all volunteer positions. Another opportunity is coming in August - - Peace Learning Center Ambassadors - - Stay tuned for more information. |
| PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Students at PLC | K-12 Programs
Summer programming is here! While the Youth Services team continues work at the Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility and in our Connect & Communicate program, the traditional school year has ended and summer programming can begin. Throughout summer, Peace Learning Center facilitators work with local camps, providing specialized workshops that build communication and problem-solving skills, emotional literacy and environmental awareness among youth participants. Additionally, staff from a variety of summer camps will learn more about building community, kindness and peaceful cultures within their camps. As always, these educational sessions are engaging, exciting and collaborative; after all, summer programs are a great time to promote learning in the guise of fun. Our summer calendar is quickly filling up, but several dates remain open! If you are interested in connecting a summer camp with Peace Learning Center's summer programming, contact Kirsten Eamon-Shine today at keamon-shine@peacelearningcenter.org.
Corporate & Community Programs
Power of Renewal Session |
Corporate & Community programs ended the 2009-2010 season of offerings with The Power of Renewal facilitated by Richard W. Smith. This highly rated session explored the importance of the choices we make in our lives and how these choices have the capacity to either deplete or nurture us physically, intellectually, emotionally or spiritually. If we deplete ourselves in one or more of these areas, we may end up with little or no passion for our lives and work. Participants were offered an opportunity to reflect on and reaffirm a commitment to their own renewal.
The participant feedback on this session was excellent. Participant
responses included:
"This was the best session so far! Thanks so much for providing this for the community. I would like to learn more in this area, especially in preventing burnout and discerning the call to service. Well done!"
"I learned to think about what is going on in my life in terms of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual rather than just in terms of right or wrong in my life."
"The session allowed me to understand better the type of person I am and to use this information to improve myself."
Richard Smith - Power of Renewal Facilitator |
Respondents also rated the session a 4.7 out 5.0 possible points on the top three evaluation criteria: 1)Presenter communicated information effectively; 2) Presenter had solid knowledge of the topic; 3) Presenter was professional, organized and prepared. We are currently working on our 2010-2011 season of offerings which will begin again in September. If you have ideas for new programs you would like us to offer that focus on healthy organizational practices for the workplace or community please contact Nancy Larner Ruschman at nruschman@peacelearningcenter.org. |
 International Interfaith Initiative
III has been involved in a lot of activity at the Center for Interfaith Cooperation recently which has created wonderful opportunities for social and professional networking. On Wednesday May 19th there was an insightful discussion about preventing violence against women and children in Africa with Louis Mazel, State Department Director of Security and Office of African Affairs. Representatives from several local organizations working in Africa attended the discussion and there has been very helpful follow-up communication with Mr. Mazel. On May 24th we partnered with Oxfam America to host a discussion with the Director of the Cameroon Coalition Against Malaria, Dr. Esther Tallah, and again there was an excellent discussion with local organizations that are part of the global fight against malaria. June 1st was the first in our series of film discussions and it was a great success. The film "An African American Quest for Authenticity" is a documentary about a community of African Americans living in Ghana, West Africa. We were able to include sumptuous Ghanaian food along with energizing dance and drumming to create a rich experience that was followed by an intimate discussion about race and identity with filmmaker Cindy Ball. (insert pictures here or at the top of this paragraph) Our next international-interfaith event will be held in the Krannert Room at the Interchurch Center (located on the north east corner of 42nd and Michigan Rd.) on Saturday June 12 beginning at 7:00 pm and will feature cuisine from Northern India and Bangladesh, traditional music with world renowned vocalists Ajesh Happy and Ranjani Dattar, and a discussion about Bihari refugees lead by Anwar Khan, president and CEO of OBAT Helpers. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness and resources for this unique community of refugees living in Bangladesh- Please plan to join us for this culturally enriching and informative gathering. More at www.obathelpers.org.
For more information about International Interfaith Initiative, please contact Charlie Wiles at cwiles@peacelearningcenter.org or visit www.internationalinterfaith.org. |
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 12: Traditional Food and Music to Support Bangladesh Refugees
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Krannert Room at the Interchurch Center (located on the north east corner of 42nd and Michigan Rd.) Sponsored by the International Interfaith Initiative. More information www.obathelpers.org.
June 24: Peace Coaches Orientation
Time: 4:30-6:30 Location: Peace Learning Center at Eagle Creek Park
|
IN THE COMMUNITY & MEDIA
Dalai Lama - photo credit - KP Singh |
PLC HOSTS 600 STUDENTS AS PART OF DALAI LAMA'S TALK
Peace Learning Center was very fortunate to be involved with the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 14 when he spoke at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The topic of his talk was "Facing Challenges with Compassion and Wisdom."
The 600 students attended the Dalai Lama's talk in the morning while hundreds stayed for the whole day to learn peace making skills and participate in Peace Jam.
During a full day program, youth from central Indiana and Michigan schools participated in Peace Jam - an international project that gives youth the opportunity to interact with ten Nobel Peace Prize winners including the Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Oscar Arias, Shirin Ebadi and others.
For more information on PLC's participation click here.
Below are quotes from students from the International School who were hosted by Peace Learning Center at the Dalai Lama public talk.
"I felt that this was a once in a lifetime experience that helped me to see another culture and to learn about forgiveness, kindness and love."
~Isabel
"I really appreciated the fact that I had the opportunity to be in the presence of His Holiness which was perhaps a once in a life time experience. I enjoyed and was pleasantly surprised at the fact that the
Dalai Lama was particularly humble and human like any other human being. His life stories only further proved that this was a great, humble, happy, and respectful person. I was particularly touched when he noted how much he appreciated the help he is currently receiving from India. Being an Indian, It made me proud to say that my mother-land serves the Dalai Lama. I aspire to become a peaceful human like the Dalai Lama who can see life as a glass "half-full" rather than 'half-empty.'" ~Trishya
For more information on the Dalai Lama's talk please click here.
Peace Learning Center Featured in The Indianapolis Star
On Sunday, May 23, PLC was again included in the "Our Children, Our City" series, more specifically the Manual Project by Matthew Tully. The Indianapolis Star is joining its readers and the community to improve the lives of children and education in our city. The Star has set three goals for the project, including increasing the number of volunteers in the community by 10,000. PLC was one of three organizations featured.
See the full article by clicking here. |
PLC SUPPORTERS
We would like to thank the following for the generous support of our K-12 Programs:
The Clowes Fund: $60,000 over two years
We would like to thank the following for the generous support of our Summer Program:
Summer Youth Program Fund: $18,000 (The Summer Youth Program Partners include Lilly Endowment, The Indianapolis Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Clowes Fund, just to name a few.) |
 GET INVOLVED WITH PLC
There are several ways to be a part of Peace Learning Center - - whether making a donation or volunteering. For more information, please click here
TO DONATE PLEASE CLICK HERE
Donate via designated payroll contributions through Annual Employee Campaigns.
If you work for an employer that has a workforce campaign, Peace Learning Center can be designated by writing the name of our agency if it is not listed as a choice. Contact your employer's human resources department or payroll representative about making designated payroll contributions to PLC if you have questions. Peace Learning Center receives contributions given through campaigns associated with the United Way of Central Indiana and others.
Sponsorship Opportunities
|
|
 |
|
