Peace takes Courage
Resolving conflicts without violence can be difficult
"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner." - Nelson Mandela
One of the young men we serve at Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility recently shared how he finally realized being peaceful took more courage than reacting with violence.
Quin: Man, I've got something crazy to tell you guys! I've been thinking about how you've been telling us we can only control ourselves and that sometimes we just need to just not react when people say stupid things. Well, I decided to try it and it worked. I was working outside in the garden with a shovel when this jerk came up to me and started talking crap about my babies' mama. The first thing that went through my head was that my shovel was really sharp and I could probably kill him with it if I hit him over the head. I'm not proud that that's the first thing I thought. I probably shouldn't think that way, but I do. Anyway, I decided to not react right away and I took a peace breath - like you taught us to do. Then, I just put up peace signs, turned around, and started walking away.
J.T., one of our Peace Learning Center facilitators, was there to offer congratulations and reassurance that having the courage to respond without violence would eventually become his natural response once he got into the habit of taking time to think before he responded.
Quotes from Young Peacemakers  | | St. Thomas Aquinas 3rd grader sharing his postcard of a more peaceful Indianapolis |
A Peace Learning Center facilitator recently heard a third grader ask his peers, "If we could end hate, we would take care of each other. Don't you think that would also end hunger?" We thought that was a pretty good question! What do you think? Tell us on Facebook by leaving a comment on our wall. Volunteer to Help Warren Central Students "Take a Stand" Volunteer a few hours this summer to be part of the new "Take a Stand Movement" partnership at Warren Central High School. Through the partnership, a group of 25-30 students will be trained as facilitators to improve their school climate. The training will address issues related to victimization, bullying, stereotyping, violence, and social change through a student led effort! So, if you are interested in helping students take a stand for their school and have a couple of hours to spare this summer, please contact Jay Horan Patterson by calling (317) 327-7144 or emailing her at [email protected] to learn how you can get involved. Attend a Community Program for Personal and Professional Growth! The warm weather and spring season roll in with two public training offerings. Please come join us at beautiful Eagle Creek Park or with our partners at Purdue University extension for any of our upcoming community learning opportunities. Catalyst X-Change "Building Effective Intergenerational Teams" June 12, 2012, 8:30-10 am The effectiveness of any team is centered around the engagement of all employees, yet some leaders in organizations experience difficulty authentically engaging employees of such a wide age range, not to mention the challenge of supporting people in their 20's and 60's to work effectively together. Through the identification of values, characteristics and strengths, this session will explore the unique contribution each generation brings to the workplace and offers strategies for implementing sound intergenerational practices. Click here to register and learn more about Catalyst for Change, our guest facilitators, and this offering!
"Crucial Conversations" June 28 and 29 , 9 am - 4 pm We are very proud to announce a community partnership with Purdue University, Extension Campus, Marion County. The first of our collaborations will be an offering of the time-tested and highly successful course, Crucial Conversations. Due to the unique, non-profit missions of Peace Learning Center and Purdue Extension, we are able to offer this training for a nearly 60% discount (scholarship) price of $499.00! This will include two full days of training by certified facilitators as well as lunch each day. To register click here. Crucial Conversations training will teach you how to create conditions where people speak with complete candor and with complete respect. You will gain skills that encourage spirited dialogue and reduce deference and defiance. Begin stepping up to tough issues and sharing opinions, feelings and information safely and freely. Learn to promote best ideas, save time with fewer meetings, have less disagreement and build more alignments and better decisions. This approach will work for you, your team, your family, your organization-and everyone gets better. The seminar will bring to your awareness and practice crucial skills-that if practiced will yield tremendous results at home, work and in your relationships. Participants will learn and demonstrate the following skills: - Performance-talk honestly and openly no matter how delicate the topic.
- Productivity-eliminate resistance and act with conviction when making decisions.
- Teamwork-reach agreement on how to work together and treat other teammates.
- Relationships-work through differences with others and strengthen relationships.
- Diversity-willingly and ably discuss diversity problems face-to-face and in the moment.
- Meetings-speak up when things get off track and suggest how to improve them.
Custom Designed Sessions We can also custom design full or part day learning sessions to best meet your organization's needs! We work with local and international groups and facilitate sessions on topics such as: - Team Building
- Change Management
- Conflict De-escalation
- Understanding Differences and Diversity
- Feedback and Communication
- Help Improve the Peace Program ((HIPP)(Our advanced conflict de-escalation courses)
As always, if you have any questions about these events or would like to schedule a learning event for your organization, contact our Community Programs Director, John McShane, at [email protected] or (317) 327-7144. International Interfaith Initiative is now the Center for Interfaith Cooperation
Nearly fifteen years ago when Peace Learning Center start ed, Charlie Wiles was the first director leading a staff and AmeriCorps members, renovating our building in Eagle Creek Park, and starting a legacy of high quality programming that lasts today.
Though he left his position as director in 2003 to raise his family, he has always been part of Peace Learning Center since. Charlie is concerned about the lack of communication that leads to misunderstanding and mistrusts between faith communities locally and internationally.
Building on his passion for "cultural alchemy" he began the International Interfaith Initiative with support from Peace Learning in 2005. The International Interfaith Initiative has a solid record of community accomplishment that included symposiums, educational seminars, an international cultural summer camp, youth interfaith dialogues and other programs. PLC looked at its work with interfaith as a new way to reach our community and we have gained many new partnerships and perspectives through the work.
Now it is time for the initiative to grow into an institution called the Center for Interfaith Cooperation (CIC). Recently incorporated and given approval as a community nonprofit by the Internal Revenue Service, CIC is its own organization with a board of directors and has the following mission and goals:
Mis�sion: To promote and strengthen the inter�faith move�ment in Cen�tral Indi�ana by orga�niz�ing and main�tain�ing pro�grams for authen�tic engage�ment, estab�lish�ing con�nec�tions, pro�vid�ing resources and serv�ing as a net�work hub.
The Cen�ter for Inter�faith Coop�er�a�tion (CIC) is pro�vid�ing a plat�form and sup�port for Cen�tral Indiana's reli�gious orga�ni�za�tions and faith-based ini�tia�tives. Build�ing on the region's dense net�work of inter�faith con�nec�tions and infor�mal dia�logues, CIC is strength�en�ing and expand�ing exist�ing part�ner�ships, help�ing to actu�al�ize poten�tial col�lab�o�ra�tions, and pro�vid�ing resources so that the area's reli�gious com�mu�ni�ties are bet�ter equipped to flour�ish in the new real�i�ties of the 21st century.
We thank Charlie and the International Interfaith Initiative for all the work that improves our community and world. We hope you participate in the Center for Interfaith Cooperation. You can learn more at www.centerforinterfaithcooperation.org
Spring Open House & Spring Cleaning Sale
Escape work for an hour or two while enjoying a beautiful spring day at Peace Learning Center and Eagle Creek Park! Do meetings make you yawn? Do your students zone out in the middle of your lessons? Bring your co-workers and/or fellow board members from noon- 2pm to pick-up fun simple tips and activities to make your meetings more engaging. Educators plan to visit between 2-4 pm to learn simple strategies to make your lesson plans more engaging. The FREE PLC Spring Open House will also include: - Short presentations on PLC's customizable classes and summer camp programs
- House history & tour of J.K. Lilly, Jr's summer country estate
- PLC bird watch
- PLC corn hole!
- Light refreshments and drinks
- Spring Cleaning sale in the basement (Noon-4pm, Thursday & 8am-noon, Friday & Saturday)
By registering through this link, you will receive a complimentary Gate Pass to Eagle Creek Park valid for the entire day of the event.
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