Peace Between People

Alternatives to Violence Project of Washington

Peace Between People
PO Box 20086, Seattle, WA 98102
Phone: (206) 971-9500
E-mail: pbp@scn.org

Second Fridays Peace Between People is inaugurating Second Fridays! All AVP workshop participants and facilitators are invited the Second Friday of every month to come share food and refreshments and participate in an exercise and a light and lively together. Come enjoy your old friends, make new friends and get a small AVP refresher all at the same time! Information Lisa 425-213-6399 or lroy70@hotmail.com.

Help Increase the Peace! AVP has a teen curriculum called HIPP (Help Increase the Peace). HIPP has been around for 17 years now in a number of states and is active in High Schools, Middle Schools, gang intervention programs, and more. Peace Between People is actively exploring starting a HIPP program in the Puget Sound Region. We have spoken with a school principal, gang intervention groups and even King County Council staff about the possibilities HIPP holds for violence reduction in the Seattle area. We are seeking certification from the Office of Public Instruction to get continuing education credits for teachers who take the program. More news to come as we get this program up and running! Come join us!

More news: Newsletter! See our June 2008 newsletter (Acrobat PDF file)

Community Basic (Aug 1-3) and Advanced (July 25-27) Workshops

Peace Between People is the local "Alternatives to Violence Project" (AVP) organization, part of an international network offering experiential workshops in creative conflict resolution and personal growth. AVP's transformative workshops emphasize community building, communication skills, problem solving, affirmation of self and others, and cooperation.

Peace Between People conducts workshops in the Washington State Prison system and for organizations, churches, and other community groups. Peace Between People is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, many of whom have been involved in this work for over a decade.

A unique aspect of our approach is that we train inmates to become facilitators, so all the prison workshops are led by teams comprised of both inmates and volunteers from the community

Peace Between People / Alternatives to Violence brochure revised September 2005, pbpbrochure0905.doc (MS Word document).

AVP Workshops

Peace Between People offers a series of three workshops teaching the skills of creative conflict resolution to enhance relationships and develop communication skills. Through Alternatives to Violence Project workshops, participants:

• Improve listening skills and practice clarifying their own needs
• Build self-esteem and respect for others;
• Discover options for problem solving;
• Build community and foster cooperation; and
• Gain insights on anger and motives.

Taken as a series, the Basic, Advanced, and Training-for-Trainers workshops prepare individuals to facilitate AVP workshops in prisons, schools, organizations, and the community. (Interested? Contact us to request an information packet.)

Currently, AVP workshops are being offered at Twin Rivers Correctional Unit and at the Washington State Reformatory in Monroe, WA. These workshops are open to those who would like to train to be volunteer facilitators. Occasionally workshops are held in the community as well.

Alternatives to Violence Project facilitators are also available to offer weekend workshops for your group. In the past we have worked with youth groups, churches, and other community organizations. Please contact us for further information.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS!!!! .

Basic- Aug. 1, 2, and 3 at the University of Washington, Experimental College. Registration can be done on line at: http://tinyurl.com/5mredf. Tell your friends!

Learn how to improve relationships and discover new responses in conflict situations through this participatory, experiential three-day workshop. The AVP Basic workshops focus on community building, conflict resolution, and communication skills, and are held at the Twin Rivers Unit or Washington State Reformatory in Monroe, WA.

Participation is the first step to be considered for the Training for Trainers workshop, which is held at least once a year. Workshop fees $40 - $200 (sliding scale, according to income); no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If interested, click here and send an email requesting an information packet. (If email link does not work, send an email to pbp@scn.org, or contact us by mail or phone.)

The Advanced Community Workshop is here! You may recall Advanced AVP Workshops focus on a particular theme. The theme is chosen the first day by the participants. The workshop will be held this July 25th, 26^th, and 27^th, at Seattle Pacific University. The University lies on the north end of Queen Anne, just South of Fremont. The workshop will be held in the Library seminar room. There is free parking and good bus service. Friday the workshop will start at 6:00 PM and continue to 9:30. Sat. and Sun. will run 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM. Registration is $75, as in all AVP workshops, scholarships and sliding scale fees are available. No one is turned away for inability to pay. Contact Lisa Roy for registration information: lroy70@hotmail.com or 425.213.6399

Three-day Advanced AVP workshops build on the skills introduced in the Basic workshop and revolve around a theme that is chosen by the workshop participants. Past themes have included Anger Management, Dealing with Prejudice, Forgiveness, and Connecting with Self and Others.

This intensive three-day workshop provides more information about AVP philosophy as well as experience in facilitating AVP exercises in a supportive environment. Interactive exercises help participants develop skills in group facilitation, team-building and conflict resolution. Applicants must have participated in at least an AVP Basic workshop and be recommended for the "Training for Trainers" workshop by the workshop facilitators. Prior participation in an Advanced workshop is strongly encouraged as well. Currently, Peace Between People is only offering the T4T workshop to people willing to make a commitment to facilitating AVP workshops in prisons. Participation in this workshop is followed by a supportive apprenticeship, as new facilitators join a team with more-experienced facilitators who can offer coaching and feedback. For more information, call (206) 517-4047 or email us at pbp@scn.org.

See above for information on our next community workshops.

Basic AVP Workshops are offered approximately 12 times a year; Advanced workshops are offered five or six times a year. A "Training for Trainers" (T4T) is held at least once a year. Peace Between People sponsors workshops at two prisons in Monroe. The Washington State Reformatory ("WSR") workshops are held on the 3^rd weekend of most months. The Twin Rivers Unit workshops are held on the 4th weekend of most months. Consider expanding your AVP experience by doing a workshop in prison. You will be provided with a current workshop schedule when you inquire about volunteering.

We're looking for people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, walks of life, sexual orientation, and physical abilities to join our facilitation teams. Prior facilitation or formal conflict resolution experience are not required; if you are committed to finding alternatives to violence and have a desire to make a difference, check out the workshops described above. Through AVP, you can:

• Provide and utilize a unique opportunity for personal growth and transformation.

• Learn facilitation and conflict resolution skills that you can use at home and at work.

• Help create a more peaceful society.

• Enhance your career prospects.

• Gain the satisfaction of bringing hope, empowerment, and new skills to prisoners and community members alike.

For more information, call (206) 971-9500 or email us at pbp@scn.org.

Our roots

The Alternatives to Violence Project grew out of a workshop devised in 1975 by a group of inmates in Greenhaven Prison in New York, in collaboration with the Quaker Project on Community Conflict. Since then the program has spread nationally and internationally. AVP's goal is to reduce the level of violence by introducing people to positive and effective nonviolent ways of resolving conflict. Over the decades, these workshops have provided hope, respect, and opportunities for growth for thousands of inmates.

Peace Between People is supported by funding from Washington State's Inmate Betterment Fund and from individual contributors. If you are considering a donation and would like more information about how our programs impact inmates and help to transform their lives, please contact us. Peace Between People is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization; donations are tax-deductible. For more information, call (206) 971-9500 or email us at pbp@scn.org.

For more information about AVP's programs, history, and impact, visit the National AVP site. You'll also find links there to sites describing AVP programs all around the world.

thanks to our host, the Seattle Community Network!

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