The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding takes the approach of addressing conflict and violence with a continuum of prevention, intervention and restorative strategies involving the general public, youth and adult populations, including those healing from the otherwise lasting impact of trauma.
VIRTUAL Solution-Focused Conflict Coaching WorkshopThis workshop will introduce the YOU CAN model of conflict coaching, a step-by-step process that helps to develop and cultivate successful strategies to transform conflict. Through this process, participants will explore
Their own experience and needs
The experiences of others
The nature of conflict
Helpful shifts in behavior or thinking
Possible options for resolution
Strategies for moving forward
Learn to be a conflict coach because YOU CAN take meaningful action to transform conflict in your life and the lives of others. YOU CAN help make challenging situations better for yourself and others. YOU CAN find peaceful and constructive ways of addressing issues.
9 AM - 5 PM Thursday, Sept. 14 & 28
For more info or to register Conflict Coaching Workshop
Our Exciting and Productive Spring & Summer
Community Engagement Exchange Program
by IREX, Washington, DC
JULY, 2023 - Jeffrey Weisberg, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the River Phoenix Center has the privilege of being a coach to this current international cohort of emerging civil society leaders in the thematic area of Civic Dialogue and Peacebuilding.
The Community Engagement Exchange Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by IREX. This program equips emerging civil society leaders (aged 2l-28) with the expertise, resources, and skills to support resilient communities in over 100 countries around the world.
Living Redemption Community Development (LRCDC) - Harlem, NY
The strategies used in effective police youth dialogues bring attention to issues of implicit bias, the impact of toxic stress on marginalized groups, ameliorating tensions between law enforcement and black youth, and building a model of community policing and restorative justice rather than punitive discipline and violence.
We recently delivered a 2-day in-person Police/Youth Dialogue facilitator training with several Harlem Police Precincts and LRCDC staff . The Training provides community stakeholders and law enforcement with an overview of the dialogues and how to facilitate them in a community context. The following week, we returned and supported an actual experience with youth and law enforcement led by 5 newly trained LRCDC staff and 3 NYPD officers.
Center for Community Alternatives, Brooklyn
This Center specializes in community-based alternatives to incarceration and policy advocacy to reduce reliance on incarceration. In early June we continued our journey in NYC and accomplished almost one full day of training when we all were forced to leave because of the smoke from the fires in Canada. It was an epic day and we are in the process of rescheduling the completion of the Restorative Justice training in the near future. The training consists of RJ and RJP, Facilitation of Dialogues, Trauma Response and Resilience Building as well as Social/Emotional Competencies. This organization offers direct services to communities in New York City, Syracuse, and Rochester, engaging approximately 3,500 youth and adults annually who would otherwise be incarcerated.
Alachua County District Schools - Summer Behavior Institute - Gainesville, FL
Eric Estling, our Managing Director and Corey Collins our Youth and Community Specialist presented an overview of restorative practices in schools to the Summer Behavior Institute, a comprehensive training for administrators, counselors, and teachers from all of our district schools.
We applaud Alachua County School District for championing restorative approaches in schools, and our educators for bringing these innovative, effective practices to our community’s students.
Update on Uganda, South Sudanese Refugee Settlement
The training program primarily focused on the two most vital peacebuilding strategies of dialogue and restorative justice (RJ), and we utilized a Training of Trainers (ToT) model to deliver a rigorous training program. The training was done in partnership and facilitated by Jeffrey Weisberg, the Executive Director of River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, and Mariia Levchenko, a CSP 2017 Fellow from Ukraine. To ensure the success of our endeavor, we selectively identified ten (10) participants from our program who displayed exceptional leadership and training capabilities.
Moving forward, the ten selected participants were chosen. Here is their schedule as they continue to take an active role in organizing community dialogues and RJ circles in the camps, putting into practice the skills and knowledge they have acquired.
Thursdays of the first week and last week of each month from July to December 2023, virtual training sessions will be scheduled with RPCP Team, while being mentored in Bidibidi by Mansuk and Muresuk.
Topics will include Restorative Justice (RJ), Dialogue and the following:
Self-Care and Resilience + Community Engagement
Emotional Intelligence + Building Trust & Collaboration
Resilience and Self-Care + Conflict Resolution Strategies
Communication and Active Listening + Stress Management
Mediation & Negotiation + Conflict Transformation
Team Building & Management + Non-Violent Communication
Cross-Cultural Understanding + Conflict Sensitivity & Inclusion
Trauma-Informed Techniques/Leadership + Conflict Analysis
UkraineAs the world watches Ukraine endure a massive invasion and attack upon its sovereign land, its people are experiencing unimaginable trauma, fear, and heartache. Yes, we can help with humanitarian aid such as food, clothing, housing, medicine, and other vital life-saving support…
But how do WE address some of the underlying issues of loss, mistrust, broken relationships, feelings of betrayal and growing divide between the people?
Conflict Solution HubThe Conflict Solution Hub will provide affordable effective conflict resolution services to individuals, families and communities. Our services aim to empower community residents to foster deeper connections, communicate effectively, repair harm, and collaborate toward positive solutions. More broadly, these services are intended to not only positively impact those directly involved but also actively contribute to the cultivation of a more peaceful, safe, just, and equitable community.
